Sawt Falasteen - Two-time champion Alcaraz withdraws from Wimbledon with wrist injury

"My recovery is going well and I'm feeling much better, but unfortunately I'm still not ready to play, I am obliged to withdraw from both Queen's and Wimbledon," said Spaniard Alcaraz, who lost to Jannik Sinner in last year's final in the All England Club.

"These are two really special tournaments for me and I'll miss them a lot. We'll keep working to come back as soon as possible."

Alcaraz sustained the injury during the first round of the Barcelona Open last month and subsequently pulled out of tournaments in Madrid and Rome and then Roland Garros, where he is the reigning two-time champion.

The world number two became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam in January with his triumph at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old holds a 22-3 record this season and also won a title in Doha.

Wimbledon will be only the third Grand Slam that Alcaraz has missed since making his main draw debut at the 2021 Australian Open. The Spaniard withdrew from the 2023 edition in Melbourne with a hamstring injury.

- Sinner rivalry -

Alcaraz's wrist injury has stopped him continuing his exciting rivalry with Italian world number one Sinner, 24, who is firm favourite to triumph in Paris and London.

He lost top spot following his defeat by Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final on April 12.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner triumphed at Roland Garros in 2024 and 2025. He saved three championship points against Sinner last year in the longest French Open final in history.

The Italian, who has never won the French Open, may be able to capitalise on Alcaraz's absence. This year's tournament runs from May 24 to June 7.

Alcaraz won his first Wimbledon trophy in 2023, defeating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the final and successfully defended his title against the Serb the following year.

This year's Wimbledon championship runs from June 29 to July 12.

"It's sad news for all of us, me being a competitor you want to play against the best players in the world and he's definitely the best player on this surface," Sinner had said after Alcaraz's withdrawal from the French Open.

"Being that young, like he is and like I am, we need to look at our bodies first before worse things (happen)."

Last month, Alcaraz insisted that he would not risk a premature return.

"I'd rather come back maybe a bit later, but in great shape, than come back quickly and risk making this injury worse," he explained.

"I have a long career ahead of me, so I'm not afraid to miss what I have to miss in order to recover as well as possible."

J.AbuShaban--SF-PST