14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal expressed his support for Carlos Alcaraz, who withdrew from both the French Open and Rome Masters due to a wrist injury. Alcaraz, the World No. 2 Spaniard, made the announcement following an injury sustained during his first-round match at the ATP 500 event in Barcelona.
Nadal took to social media to encourage Alcaraz, stating, “Hang in there, Carlos! I hope you have the speediest recovery possible. These difficult moments truly highlight the value of everything you are doing. Stay strong—sending you a big hug!” Alcaraz, who is a 22-major champion, will be absent from the Parisian tournament for the first time since 2021.
The Laureus World Sports Awards had already raised doubts about Alcaraz’s participation in the French Open. After receiving test results, Alcaraz decided to exercise caution and refrain from competing in Rome or Roland Garros until his progress is evaluated. In a social media post, he expressed his determination to emerge stronger from this challenging period.
Alcaraz, the defending champion in Rome and Roland Garros, achieved the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier this year. Jannik Sinner, the current No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings, emphasized the significance of Alcaraz’s presence in tennis, stating that the sport is enhanced when Alcaraz is in the mix.
Following his loss to Sinner in the Monte-Carlo final, Alcaraz surrendered the World No. 1 ranking to the Italian player. With a 390-point gap behind Sinner in the ATP Rankings, Alcaraz was defending 1,000 points in Rome and 2,000 at Roland Garros.
