Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from this summer’s Wimbledon Championships as he continues his recovery from a persistent wrist injury that has already ruled him out of the French Open.

The Spaniard was forced to concede defeat in his battle to be fit for the grass-court major following a lack of progress in his rehabilitation.

This frustrating announcement represents a significant blow to the tennis prodigy, who previously captured titles at the All England Club.

Recovery timeline remains uncertain

The multiple-time major champion sustained the problem earlier in the season and has struggled to accelerate his return to the court.

Missing both Roland Garros and the historic London tournament will severely impact his ranking points during a crucial phase of the calendar.

Tournament organisers at SW19 will now be without one of the sport’s most dynamic attractions when the prestigious main draw commences in July.

Grand Slam aspirations on hold

The former world number one must now shift his ultimate focus towards regaining full fitness ahead of the demanding North American hard-court swing.

Supporters of the lightning-fast baseliner will be hoping this extended absence allows the joint to heal entirely without requiring complex surgical intervention.

British number one Emma Raducanu suffered a first-round defeat against Diane Parry at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in her first match since March.

The former US Open champion was beaten 6-4 7-6 (7-4) by the French world number 94 on Tuesday.

She had been sidelined for over two months with a post-viral illness following a heavy defeat at Indian Wells.

Double faults prove costly on clay

The 23-year-old recently reappointed her Grand Slam-winning coach Andrew Richardson ahead of the European clay-court swing.

Despite showing sharp early movement to take a 4-2 lead in the opening set, the British star struggled to maintain her advantage.

A succession of double faults allowed a heavily strapped Parry to secure three consecutive breaks and claim the first set.

The Frenchwoman entered the contest full of confidence after winning a WTA 125 event in Paris on Sunday.

French Open preparations take a hit

A mirror image of the first set played out in the second as the former world top-10 player again squandered a 4-2 advantage.

An eighth double fault from the Briton gave her opponent the chance to serve for the match.

Although she showed resilience to break back and force a tie-break, crucial late errors handed the victory to the home favourite.

The defeat leaves her heading into the French Open, which begins on 24 May, with severely limited preparation on the red dirt.

Former British number one Tim Henman recently backed her coaching change as perfectly timed for a crucial summer schedule.

Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has ended a 2,300-day wait for a singles title by winning on the lower-tier ITF Tour following years of injury struggles.

The Canadian stunned the tennis world in 2019 when she defeated Serena Williams to claim the major crown as a 19-year-old.

However, her promising career was quickly derailed by a series of severe physical setbacks and an extended absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Injury nightmares and a dramatic rankings drop

The former world number four endured knee, abdomen, and ankle problems before an appendectomy delayed her 2025 season.

These persistent issues caused her ranking to plummet to 228 earlier this year, forcing a radical change in her comeback strategy.

Rather than continuing to struggle on the main WTA Tour, the 25-year-old opted to return to the developmental ITF circuit at the start of 2026.

This level of professional tennis offers starkly different realities, including total prize pots of just £26,000 and an absence of basic tournament luxuries.

Learning to ask for help

The recent tournament victory earned the Grand Slam winner a modest $3,000 (£2,200), a fraction of the $3.9m (£2.9m) she secured at Flushing Meadows.

Reflecting on her meteoric rise, she admitted she was utterly unprepared for the intense spotlight of becoming a major champion.

“I don’t think it’s possible to really prepare yourself, especially if you haven’t gone through that before but I wish I had a little bit more guidance after the US Open,” Andreescu told BBC Sport.
“You think you know everything at 19, and I just remember I’m not one to ever ask for help, but I am a little bit better at that now. So maybe if I did, things would have been different.”

Embracing a new perspective

Her current coach, Dusan Vemic, believes the difficult journey has ultimately forced his player into necessary personal growth.

“She had to grow up fast from a carefree teenager to a young woman that she is now,” Vemic explained.
“Being a tennis player, being an athlete, you suddenly have a different role. You become a role model for many youngsters.”

Competing against rising youngsters and veterans trying to regain form, the former prodigy has finally taken the first step towards reclaiming her status at the top of the sport.

Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar is poised to become the star attraction at the French Open following his rapid rise up the rankings and the absence of compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric ascent from outside the world’s top 900 just a year ago to his current ranking of 34.

World number one Jannik Sinner recently lauded the youngster, writing “What a player!” on a television camera lens after defeating him at the Madrid Open.

From college tennis to ATP titles

The former US Open boys’ singles champion was still playing American college tennis for the University of Virginia last year.

Since joining the professional circuit, the lightning-fast returner has accumulated an impressive array of milestones in 2026:

His recent success has been built upon a vastly improved serve and his rapid development into one of the sport’s most formidable returners.

Keeping a small inner circle

Despite his growing profile, the Madrid native maintains a remarkably small entourage, with only his father and coach, Rafael, sitting in his player box.

Former British doubles player Colin Fleming praised this minimalist approach but expects the support team to gradually expand.

“He’s not getting caught up in any fanfare or any hangers on. Just a small team, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see his team grow slightly as he develops more in the elite level.”

Colin Fleming

Calls for physical reinforcement

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli believes adding a fitness specialist is the crucial next step for the rising star.

“Sometimes you have boxes of eight to 10 people but having just his dad in his box is working for him. I would advise him to bring in a fitness coach because you can tell on the fitness side when it gets intense during matches, he gets a little bit tired.”

Marion Bartoli

As Roland-Garros approaches, all eyes will be on whether the Spaniard can maintain his spectacular trajectory on the Parisian clay.

World number one Jannik Sinner heads into the French Open as the overwhelming favourite to secure his maiden title at Roland-Garros following a historic victory at the Italian Open.

The 24-year-old defeated Casper Ruud in straight sets on Sunday to claim the crown in Rome.

That triumph made the Italian the youngest player to complete the Career Golden Masters, surpassing Novak Djokovic’s previous record.

It also extended his remarkable winning run to 29 matches, cementing his status as the man to beat in Paris.

Victory in Paris feels inevitable

Former British tennis player Laura Robson believes the top seed is operating at a level far above his current rivals.

“The fact that we’re already saying, ‘yeah, he probably will win Roland-Garros’. You go down the list and no one else looks anywhere near his level at the moment.”

Robson noted that the reigning champion of Rome will face immense pressure over the next fortnight, but praised his incredibly relaxed demeanour.

“He’s won so many matches, this feels natural for him. He’s not overthinking things. But when he gets to these big finals he’s just so relaxed.”

She added that he is now fully accustomed to the intense expectations of the sport and continuously finds ways to improve his game.

Unrelenting consistency on clay

The outstanding recent form of the world’s best player includes a flawless 17-0 record on clay this year.

His last defeat came back in February against Jakub Mensik during the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.

After overcoming physical exhaustion to defeat Daniil Medvedev in the Rome semi-finals, he showed zero signs of fatigue during the comprehensive final victory.

Robson highlighted the rare physical and mental fortitude required to maintain such an exceptional unbeaten streak.

“There’s so few players who can play this amount of matches without losing concentration, without getting injured. I think also it’s the mentality that he has.”

Ukrainian tennis stars Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk have secured consecutive WTA 1000 titles by winning the Italian and Madrid Opens, dedicating their victories to their war-torn homeland.

Svitolina claimed her third Italian Open crown over the weekend, just a fortnight after Kostyuk triumphed in the Spanish capital.

The recent success of the Eastern European pair transcends traditional sporting achievement during the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Emotional tributes in Rome and Madrid

Following her victory in Rome, Svitolina dedicated the trophy to those supporting her from bomb shelters in Ukraine.

The 31-year-old delivered an emotional trophy presentation speech just days after a deadly missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building claimed 24 lives.

“It’s been really heavy for the past couple of weeks for Ukraine… I feel all the love,” Svitolina declared.

“Thank you. Slava Ukraini!”

Kostyuk echoed these sentiments following her own career-best victory in Madrid, concluding her speech with a heartfelt dedication to her country.

Remarkable comeback trails

The Rome triumph marks a stunning return to form for Svitolina, arriving eight years after her last title in the Italian capital.

After taking a maternity break in 2022 that saw her ranking drop to 236th in the world, the former world number three has surged back up to seventh.

She now heads into the upcoming French Open as a genuine Grand Slam contender, sitting third in the season-long race rankings behind Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka.

Her path to the Italian Open title proved fiercely difficult, requiring consecutive victories over reigning Grand Slam champions Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff.

“This is one of the toughest draws that I had in a tournament,” the current Ukrainian number one admitted.

“I’m very proud of the way that I’ve been handling myself and handling the nerves and being consistent.”

Roland Garros prospects

World number 15 Kostyuk also approaches Roland Garros in formidable form, having secured a clay-court title in Rouen prior to her Madrid success.

Despite withdrawing from the Italian Open with hip and ankle issues, the 21-year-old boasts an impressive 11-match winning streak.

The dynamic duo currently lead a strong contingent of seven Ukrainian players inside the WTA top 100.

Svitolina hopes their continued presence at the pinnacle of the sport can provide vital inspiration for the next generation of Ukrainian girls facing adversity.

World number one Jannik Sinner has defeated Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4 to win the Italian Open in Rome and become the youngest player to complete a Career Golden Masters.

By claiming victory on home soil, the 24-year-old joins Novak Djokovic as only the second man to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles.

The Serbian great previously achieved the historic feat at the age of 31 by beating Roger Federer in the 2018 Cincinnati Open final.

A historic triumph on home soil

The reigning Wimbledon champion extended his phenomenal winning run to 29 matches with this straight-sets success.

His victory in one hour and 45 minutes also marks the first time an Italian man has won the Rome tournament since Adriano Panatta in 1976.

Sinner responded immediately after suffering an early break in the second game, gradually overpowering his opponent in a highly physical contest.

The top seed ultimately sealed his landmark victory with a blistering inside-out forehand winner before celebrating in front of a rapturous crowd.

‘An incredible two-and-a-half months’

Seventy-five-year-old Panatta was present in the stands to witness his successor end the nation’s long wait for a home men’s singles champion.

“This year was the 50th year since an Italian won and I’m really, really happy.”

Sinner, who fell short in last year’s final against Carlos Alcaraz, told Sky Sports.

“There was a lot of tension on both sides, it was not perfect tennis from both of us.”
“It has been an incredible last two-and-a-half months.”
“I try to put myself in the best possible position every time I go on court, trying to do the best I can – not every day is simple, but I’m really, really happy.”

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina claimed her third Italian Open title after defeating American Coco Gauff 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 in a thrilling final in Rome.

The 31-year-old fought back from a 4-2 deficit in the opening set to secure an impressive victory in two hours and 49 minutes.

This latest triumph marks her third success at the prestigious tournament, following previous victories in the Italian capital in 2017 and 2018.

A formidable path to glory

The Ukrainian’s route to the trophy involved navigating a gauntlet of the sport’s elite competitors.

She secured notable three-set victories against world number two Elena Rybakina and third-ranked Iga Swiatek before overcoming the world number four in the showpiece event.

The world number 10 has now enjoyed a third successive victory against her American rival this season.

Those previous triumphs included dominant performances in the Australian Open quarter-finals and the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals.

“It’s very hard to believe it’s been eight years since I had this trophy and very pleased with the two weeks here.”

Gauff resilient in defeat

The match began as a stern challenge for the eventual champion, who was broken in the first and fifth games before recovering to establish a 5-4 lead.

A brilliant forehand down the line in the 10th game provided a crucial set point, which was converted when her opponent produced a double fault.

The second set presented a stark contrast, with the American primarily forced onto the defensive.

Despite failing to serve out the set at 6-5 up, the French Open winner successfully navigated a tense tie-break to level the match.

However, the American was ultimately broken in the fifth and seventh games of the decider as her opponent surged to victory.

“Another tough battle between us. I’m on the other side but hopefully one of these days I can get over that.”

The runner-up, who also fell at the final hurdle in Rome last year, was quick to praise her opponent’s formidable run to the title.

“You had an incredible tournament – a lot of long matches against great players so congratulations to you and your team.”