Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz is missing this year’s Wimbledon tournament to rehabilitate a wrist injury in his secluded Spanish hometown of Murcia.
The world number two has maintained a low profile since confirming his withdrawal from the prestigious grass-court event in May.
Instead of the hectic environment of the ATP Tour, the Spanish star has found sanctuary in the quiet village of El Palmar.
This peaceful retreat allows the multiple major winner to focus entirely on his physical recovery away from the sporting spotlight.
Finding peace away from the ATP Tour
El Palmar offers a stark contrast to the grueling international tennis circuit, boasting serene streets, vegetable patches, and historic olive groves.
The region is renowned for its landmarks, including the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the breathtaking vistas of the Sierra de El Puerto.
“Murcia is greatly underrated. We’ve got beaches, mountains, a lovely climate and great food,” he explained on the Iguales podcast.
It is understood that the young talent enjoys tranquil walks through the Jardín de los Chorletes, where Mediterranean flora aids his relaxation.
Building a legacy in native Spain
The reigning Wimbledon titleholder is not just resting in his homeland but actively investing in its future through the Carlos Alcaraz Tennis City facility.
This elite training complex is designed to transform the region into an international hub for tennis development while nurturing the next generation of athletes.
“To put Murcia on the map, because I love my city and my home, and that’s what we’re trying to convey,” he stated regarding his local ambitions.
Wrist injury halts summer schedule
Prior to his Wimbledon absence, the powerful right-hander was forced to withdraw from both the Barcelona Open and the French Open.
The ongoing wrist issue has left supporters disappointed during a crucial phase of the European grass-court calendar.
“My recovery is going well, and I’m feeling much better, but unfortunately, I’m still not ready to compete, which is why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen’s and Wimbledon,” he wrote in a recent social media update.
Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk has withdrawn from her Wimbledon women’s doubles match due to stomach issues, just hours after securing her first-ever singles quarter-final at the All England Club.
The withdrawal means number nine seeds Ellen Perez and Demi Schuurs advance to the quarter-finals via a walkover.
Kostyuk was scheduled to partner Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse on No. 2 Court on Monday afternoon.
Historic singles breakthrough
The Ukrainian had earlier breezed past American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger 6-4 6-4 in the opening match of the day.
That victory secured her maiden appearance in the final eight of the prestigious grass-court tournament.
The 12th seed recovered from a break deficit in the second set, claiming the final four games to seal a straight-sets win.
However, the recent Roland Garros semi-finalist appeared to struggle physically following the triumph.
Illness forces doubles exit
She remained seated at her bench for several minutes after the match, visibly stretching and resting before her on-court interview.
Tournament organisers initially delayed the doubles fixture, moving it down the order of play.
Confirmation of the Ukrainian-Romanian pairing’s withdrawal arrived shortly before the scheduled press conference.
The singles quarter-finalist later confirmed that a combination of nerves, heat, and physical discomfort prompted the decision.
“I did a little mistake and I had problems with my stomach.”
Marta Kostyuk
“I still experience some problems. Yeah, I think the heat.”
“It was pretty stressful match for me because I was the one coming into this match with kind of being a favourite, such good opportunity, playing for the first quarter-final here in Wimbledon.”
The withdrawal does not affect the singles competition, leaving the talented baseliner free to rest ahead of her quarter-final tie.
British wildcard Arthur Fery has stunned former world number three Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set Centre Court thriller to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The 23-year-old fought back from a break down in the fourth set to secure a famous 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 (10-7) victory.
His triumph provided a much-needed boost for the home crowd following a bleak opening week where only four of 19 domestic singles players advanced past the first round.
From Challenger injuries to Centre Court history
Fery is the first wildcard player outside the top 100 to reach the men’s singles last eight since Australian Nick Kyrgios achieved the feat in 2014.
Only once has a wildcard competitor gone on to lift the trophy at the All England Club, a milestone famously achieved by Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.
The Stanford University scholar has enjoyed a miraculous turnaround in fortunes this year.
Just 26 weeks ago, the London-raised hopeful retired injured while attempting to qualify for a low-tier Challenger tournament in Canberra.
Wildcard cherishes unforgettable experience
“What I experienced today, I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life,” Fery said.
“Who knows, maybe I will never get to experience that ever again.”
“It’s the first time I’m playing on this stage, and that might be the first and last time – but hopefully not.”
Sporting pedigree fuels dramatic comebacks
The young Briton has spent his entire campaign mounting thrilling fightbacks, having dropped the opening set in his first two matches before overturning a deficit against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in the third round.
Such resilience is perhaps unsurprising given his deep-rooted sporting background.
His mother, Olivia, is a former French Fed Cup player, while his father, Loic, previously owned Ligue 1 football club Lorient.
Dimitrov buckles as Rusedski praises resilience
Despite Dimitrov boasting 61 Grand Slam appearances compared to a mere eight for his opponent, the Bulgarian ultimately faltered under the intense pressure.
“If you look at the two players’ careers, Dimitrov has always buckled at the big moments,” former British number one Greg Rusedski told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
“Fery stood tall, took advantage and said ‘I’m going to find a way, I’m going to find a solution’.”
Italian test awaits on milestone weekend
The unseeded star will now face Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli in Wednesday’s quarter-final showdown.
Whatever the outcome of that daunting clash, there will be plenty of cause for celebration this weekend.
The history-making wildcard will turn 24 on Sunday, and he will undoubtedly hope to mark the occasion with an improbable semi-final appearance.
Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur is planning a temporary break from the sport after suffering a straight-sets defeat to Italy’s Flavio Cobolli at Wimbledon.
The 27-year-old was eliminated 7-5 7-6 6-3 by Cobolli during a frustrating evening on Court One.
His fiancee, British number one Katie Boulter, watched from the stands wearing an England football shirt.
Despite the disappointing loss, he firmly dismissed any immediate thoughts of permanent retirement.
Grand Slam frustrations continue
The defeat leaves the Sydney-born player still searching for a major breakthrough.
He has won 11 career ATP Tour titles but has never progressed past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament.
His best run at SW19 came in 2024, when a hip injury forced him to withdraw from a highly anticipated quarter-final against Novak Djokovic.
Reflecting on his latest exit, the Australian admitted his ultimate career ambitions feel increasingly distant.
“I won’t play a tournament for a while,” De Minaur said.
“The goals, the beliefs, the dreams that you have, they kind of start fading away or they feel a little bit further away than when they once were.”
Shifting focus away from the court
The world number nine acknowledged the mental toll of the sport but vowed to eventually return to the ATP tour.
“I’m finding it harder, that’s the reality of it,” he added.
“It hurts like hell now, but I’ll get back up because I’m a competitor through and through.”
He is scheduled to defend his Washington Open title at the end of July.
However, the timing of his return remains uncertain as he prepares to marry Boulter later this summer.
The former US Open quarter-finalist intends to use his upcoming wedding as a positive distraction from his struggles on the grass.
“I’ve got some pretty big things happening soon, so some stuff that I’m very excited for,” he explained.
“I think my best way forward is to channel my focus into that, into something positive.”
Meanwhile, Cobolli progresses to the next round after delivering a dominant performance.
“I think I played one of the best matches ever, especially on this surface that is always tough to play,” the Italian remarked.
Jasmine Paolini has ended Alexandra Eala’s historic Wimbledon campaign, defeating the trailblazing 21-year-old 6-4 4-6 6-3 in a thrilling fourth-round encounter on Centre Court.
The history-making Philippine international fell just short in a gruelling two-hour and 22-minute tussle against the experienced Italian.
Eala arrived at this stage following an epic straight-set victory over world number three Iga Swiatek, but struggled to replicate that momentum early on.
A costly break of serve in the deciding set left her trailing 5-3, before two unforced errors ultimately handed her opponent a place in the last eight.
A groundbreaking tournament
Despite the heartbreaking exit, the left-hander departs London having firmly established herself as a rising star of the grass-court season.
She made national history this week by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a main-draw match at the Championships and reach the second week of a Grand Slam.
Her unprecedented success has sparked a sporting frenzy in her home country, with arenas packing out for watch parties to support their new tennis heroine.
The staggering impact of her run was reflected online, as highlights of her third-round triumph generated a tournament-leading 1.2 million views on the official Wimbledon platform.
Looking back with no regrets
Rather than showing devastation, the youthful trailblazer waved and blew kisses to an adoring crowd as she exited the sport’s most famous arena.
“I think it’s important that every match I played this week, and every match that I play, I go in with self-esteem and the thought that I’m able to win.”
“If I’m able to approach them with bravery, with a steady mind and with intensity, then I’m able to look back and feel no regret.”
The former finalist Paolini will now advance to the quarter-finals, having utilised her booming groundstrokes to overpower her younger opponent during the crucial final exchanges.
American Madison Keys has crashed out of Wimbledon following a straight-set defeat to ninth seed Linda Noskova, while Jasmine Paolini also advanced to the quarter-finals on Monday.
Noskova secured a 6-4 7-6 (2) victory over the American to reach her first ever quarter-final on the London grass.
The Czech rising star has now won 17 of her 21 matches on grass since the start of 2025, recording the most victories of any woman over that span.
Her impressive triumph snapped an eight-match winning streak for the 26th seed, who previously claimed her maiden major title at the Australian Open.
Paolini wins with Federer watching
Elsewhere at the All England Club, Italian 13th seed Jasmine Paolini ended the historic run of qualifier Alexandra Eala with a hard-fought 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory.
Eala had proudly become the first player from the Philippines to reach the second week of a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era.
Paolini produced the crucial victory while tennis legend Roger Federer watched intently from the prestigious Royal Box.
The 2024 Wimbledon runner-up admitted that playing in front of the eight-time men’s champion was an incredibly special experience.
“He’s my idol,” Paolini said of Federer.
“I was like during the match, ‘Please stay focused, stay focused, don’t think about he’s here.'”
Kostyuk sets up Paolini clash as seeds dominate
Paolini will next face Marta Kostyuk after the Ukrainian 12th seed dispatched Ashlyn Krueger 6-4 6-4.
The former competitive gymnast was asked if she would celebrate her latest victory with her signature backward somersault.
“I save it for the only moment I win my first Grand Slam,” Kostyuk joked after her victory.
In the bottom half of the draw, Elise Mertens booked a quarter-final clash with Noskova following a 6-4 6-4 win over Marie Bouzkova.
Historic all-American quarter-final awaits
With Keys and Krueger both eliminated, the remaining US hopes rest entirely on a Tuesday showdown between Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.
Their highly anticipated clash will mark the first all-American ladies’ match at Wimbledon between top-10 seeds since Serena and Venus Williams contested the 2009 final.
Remarkably, this tournament represents the first time since 2007 that all eight women’s quarter-finalists are seeded players.
Furthermore, the bottom half of the draw guarantees a brand new champion will be crowned at SW19 for the 10th consecutive year.
Mexican tennis player Giuliana Olmos was forced into a swift apology after accidentally striking opponent Ulrikke Eikeri in the head during a women’s doubles match at Wimbledon on Sunday.
The incident occurred during a tense third set between Olmos and partner Ingrid Neel against Eikeri and American Quinn Gleason at the All England Club.
With Gleason serving in the second game, a baseline rally was unexpectedly intercepted at the net by the 33-year-old Mexican.
The powerful return struck a ducking Eikeri squarely on the head, prompting an audible gasp from the watching spectators.
Immediate concern and swift recovery
Realising the severity of the close-range impact, the former world number six instantly rushed forward to check on the Norwegian.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry.”
The 33-year-old from Oslo shrugged off the blow without issue, taking a quick drink before returning to the baseline within seconds.
While Eikeri and her American partner managed to secure that specific game, they ultimately fell short in the grueling three-set encounter.
Olmos and Neel advance to next round
The newly formed grass-court partnership of Olmos and Neel triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to book their place in the round of 16.
They followed up the dramatic victory by defeating third seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic in another hard-fought three-set contest on Monday.
The winning duo made their debut as a pairing at the Libema Open in June, where they successfully reached the final.
Olmos brings significant pedigree to the team, having claimed seven doubles titles on the WTA Tour and reaching a career-high ranking of sixth in the world last year.
American seventh seed Coco Gauff has reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time after a dramatic victory over Belinda Bencic just two minutes before the tournament’s 11pm curfew.
The two-time major champion secured her progress with a thrilling three-set win against the former Olympic gold medallist on Court No 1.
Play did not begin until 20:30 local time following a lengthy five-set match earlier on Sunday, meaning both competitors faced a strict 23:00 cut-off imposed by the local council.
Racing against the strict curfew
With time rapidly running out, the 22-year-old was forced to serve for the match at 22:56 and managed to seal the contest with an unreturned wide serve at 22:58.
The triumphant American pointed to her wrist in celebration after navigating an unusually time-pressured scenario for a professional tennis player.
She had previously failed to progress past the fourth round at SW19 in five attempts since making her famous tournament debut as a 15-year-old in 2019.
“This was probably the most dramatic finish,” Gauff said.
“I’ve never had to race against time; playing tennis we’re used to not having a clock, but honestly today I felt the pressure.”
Completing the Grand Slam set
Having already claimed titles at the Australian Open and French Open, the lightning-fast baseliner has now reached at least the quarter-final stage at all four Grand Slams.
She acknowledged checking the clock during her tense final service game, leading to a deliberate strategy to finish points as quickly as possible.
“Honestly that match point I was going for a serve and volley because I was like ‘I need to end the point’,” she explained.
The impressive youngster will now face her fourth-seeded compatriot Jessica Pegula for a highly anticipated place in the semi-finals.