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Carlos Alcaraz's bid for a third straight French Open title is over before it began, with the Spaniard confirming he will miss Roland Garros and the Italian Open because of a lingering wrist injury, a setback that reshapes the men's draw and raises fresh questions about the clay-court season's biggest prize.
The 22-year-old, a two-time defending champion in Paris, had already withdrawn from Barcelona and Madrid after aggravating the injury earlier this month. Medical tests have now convinced Alcaraz and his team that shutting down his clay campaign is the safest course, with the seven-time major winner saying caution was necessary to protect the long-term future of his career rather than chase one tournament at significant risk.
The timing is cruel. Alcaraz recently claimed the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award after a brilliant 2025 season in which he won eight titles, including Roland Garros and the US Open, before beginning 2026 by winning the Australian Open to complete a career Grand Slam at a remarkably young age.
His absence leaves world No.1 Jannik Sinner as the clear favourite heading into Paris. Sinner described Alcaraz's withdrawal as a blow for tennis, noting the sport is stronger when his chief rival is fit and competing, while backing him to return stronger once fully recovered.
For Australia, the week brought little comfort.
Alex de Minaur suffered another worrying early exit, beaten 6,3 6,1 by 19-year-old Spanish wildcard Rafael Jodar in just 75 minutes at the Madrid Open. It was Jodar's first win over a top-10 opponent, and a sharp reminder of de Minaur's patchy form since lifting the Rotterdam title in February. His quarter-final run at Monte Carlo remains the lone bright spot in an otherwise uneven stretch heading towards Roland Garros.
One contender is sidelined. Another is searching for answers. The road to Paris suddenly looks very different.