Alcaraz confirmed out of Rome and Roland Garros: why, Sinner's reaction | OneFootball

Carlos Alcaraz, former world No. 1 and winner of seven Grand Slam tournaments, confirmed his withdrawal from the Rome Masters 1000 and Roland Garros due to a wrist injury. “After the results of the tests carried out today, we have decided that the most prudent thing is to be cautious,” he wrote on his Instagram account.

The Spanish player won the title in both competitions last year, so he will not be able to defend a large number of points, a key factor in his battle with Italy’s Jannik Sinner for the top spot in the world rankings. The discomfort began during his debut at the ATP 500 in Barcelona. What initially seemed like a minor issue ended up forcing him to pull out of the rest of the clay-court swing.

After his win in his opening match at the Madrid Masters, Sinner himself was asked about the situation of his biggest rival on the tour and reacted with surprise.

“It’s tough for tennis, very tough. You know these kinds of injuries, you know you have to take it very slowly. It’s very sad. He’s the defending champion, you always want to play against the best in the world, and he definitely is on this surface. I hope he recovers as soon as possible,” the Italian admitted.

Alcaraz, 22, had already cast doubt on his participation in Rome and in the year’s second Major during the Laureus Awards gala. “We’ll see, the next test will be crucial. We’re trying to do everything in our power so that test goes well. I’m trying to stay positive, stay encouraged, and be patient, although these days are dragging on. I can’t give a timetable for my return,” Alcaraz had told TVE.

In Friday’s post, in which he confirmed his absence, the Spanish player also said that he is waiting to “assess the progress to decide when we will return to the court.” He concluded: “It’s a difficult moment for me, but I’m sure we will come out of this stronger.”

The ATP rankings are another factor to keep in mind. The Spanish player had lost the top spot after falling to Sinner in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, who currently leads him by 390 points. However, withdrawing from Rome and Roland Garros will cost him another 3,000 points, something the Italian could take advantage of to widen the gap, or players such as Alexander Zverev (No. 3) could use to move closer in the standings.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.