Carlos Alcaraz, ranked World No. 2, has withdrawn from both Wimbledon and the Queen's Club Championships, ruling himself out of the entire 2026 grass-court swing as he continues to recover from a persistent right wrist injury. The announcement, made via a post on X, marks one of the most significant absences of the tennis season.

Alcaraz Confirms Withdrawal in His Own Words

The 23-year-old Spaniard addressed his fans directly, stating: 'My recovery is going well, and I feel much better, but unfortunately, I'm still not ready to be able to play, and that's why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen's and Wimbledon. They are two really special tournaments for me, and I'll miss them a lot. We keep working to return as soon as possible!'

Alcaraz stressed that while rehabilitation is progressing, he is not yet physically fit to compete at the level these tournaments demand.

A Mounting List of Withdrawals

The Queen's and Wimbledon pullouts extend a painful run of absences for Alcaraz. He had already withdrawn from the Barcelona Open — after requiring treatment on his right wrist and forearm mid-match — and subsequently skipped the Madrid Open, the Italian Open in Rome, and the French Open, where he had been the defending champion.

At the 2026 Laureus Awards, where Alcaraz was named Sportsman of the Year, he appeared with a brace on his right wrist, publicly signalling the severity of the issue. In April, he issued a formal statement confirming the extent of the setback: 'After the results of the tests carried out today, we have decided that the most prudent thing to do is to be cautious and not participate in Rome or Roland-Garros as we wait to evaluate the progress so we can decide when to return to the court. This is a difficult time for me, but I am sure we will come out of it stronger.'

What He Is Missing — and Why It Hurts

Wimbledon will become only the third Grand Slam Alcaraz has missed in his career. His previous absence from a major came at the 2023 Australian Open, where a hamstring injury forced him out. The French Open withdrawal this year was particularly painful given that he had lifted the Roland-Garros trophy in 2025, defeating World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a five-set final lasting 5 hours and 29 minutes — widely described as one of the greatest Grand Slam finals in recent memory.

Notably, Wimbledon is a tournament where Alcaraz has already demonstrated he can dominate on grass, making his absence a major blow to the draw's competitive balance.

Who Benefits — and What Comes Next

With Alcaraz sidelined for the full grass-court season, the spotlight shifts decisively towards Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and the rest of the leading contenders. Sinner, in particular, will enter Wimbledon as the clear favourite without his most dangerous rival in the draw.

The tennis world will now watch closely for updates on Alcaraz's recovery timeline, with the US Open in late summer representing the next realistic target for his return to Grand Slam competition.