Two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will miss this year’s tournament due to a persistent wrist injury.
The world number two has been away from the field since suffering a problem in his right wrist during the first round of the Barcelona Open last month.
Having already withdrawn from the French Open, Alcaraz confirmed on Tuesday that he will also miss the entire grass court season, including Queen’s and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz confirms his withdrawal from Wimbledon
The Spaniard shared the update in an Instagram post as he continues his recovery.
“My recovery is going well and I feel much better, but unfortunately I am still not ready to compete, which is why I have to withdraw from the grass courts at Queen’s and Wimbledon,” Alcaraz wrote.
“They are two really special tournaments for me and I will miss them very much.
“We will continue to work to return as soon as possible.”
The injury continues the difficult period
The 23-year-old Alcaraz started 2026 in impressive fashion by winning the Australian Open and becoming the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam.
However, his season has since been disrupted by injury.
The Spaniard was expected to face a strong challenge during the ups and downs of clay and grass courts, but he will now miss most of the clay court season and the entire grass season.
Alcaraz was the defending champion at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, having won five of the last nine men’s Grand Slam singles titles.
Wrong set to benefit in the classification race
Alcaraz’s absence is likely to allow Jannik Sinner to strengthen his lead at the top of the world rankings.
The Italian replaced Alcaraz as world No. 1 last month and has dominated the ATP Tour in recent months, winning six straight Masters 1000 titles, including three in the past five weeks.
Alcaraz and Siner have shared the last nine men’s Grand Slam titles, making them two of the leading figures in the men’s game.
Alcaraz’s withdrawal also opens the door to the Wimbledon draw in a big way, although Sinner has already confirmed that he will not play any friendly grass-court tournaments before the tournament begins on June 29.
Wrist injuries remain a major concern in tennis
It is often difficult for tennis players to fully recover from wrist injuries, especially if they are exacerbated by an early return.
Alcaraz previously admitted he did not want to risk causing long-term damage by rushing back too quickly.
Speaking in April before confirming his withdrawal from the French Open, he said: “I have a very long career ahead of me, and I still have many years to go.
“Forcing things at Roland Garros could really hurt me in future tournaments.”
Many prominent players have suffered similar injuries in recent years.
Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem retired at the end of 2024 after persistent wrist problems derailed his career, while Juan Martin del Potro also suffered long-term wrist injuries after winning the 2009 US Open.
