Carlos Alcaraz’s wrist injury has given some of the other top stars a major opportunity this clay court season.
Alcaraz will miss the Italian Open and Roland Garros and there is potential that his absence could be extended further into the 2026 season.
Jannik Sinner is now the favourite to win the Grand Slams, but there could be another opportunity on the other side of the draw.
Alexander Zverev, who many would expect could be a contender now, has shared his thoughts on Alcaraz’s injury.
Alexander Zverev calls out misconception about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury
Zverev was upset to hear about Alcaraz’s injury and he does not believe the top players are happy with the opportunity it has given them.
Speaking after his match at the Madrid Open, the German said: “It’s sad. Sad for tennis. But as he himself said, he’s very young and his career will be very long, and I think that’s what he’s prioritizing.
How worried are you about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury?
Carlos Alcaraz will miss Rome and Roland Garros…
“It’s never good when he misses big tournaments; we need him, tennis is more exciting with him. Sometimes people say that top players are happy when others aren’t, but that’s not the case.
“I’ve been in that situation, injured, unable to play in the big tournaments, and it’s not a pleasant feeling. I wish him a very speedy recovery; hopefully, he’ll be back sooner than expected and can think about Roland Garros, and if not, I hope to see him at 100% on the grass-court season.”
Zverev has lost four of his last five matches to Alcaraz, including his heartbreaking defeat at this year’s Australian Open semi-final.
What Alexander Zverev needs to do to take advantage of Carlos Alcaraz’s injury
This year’s Roland Garros will see Sinner as the overwhelming favourite to lift his first Grand Slam title on the clay.
However, there is now a major opportunity on the other side of Sinner’s draw to at least reach the final of the Grand Slam.
Do you really believe that Alexander Zverev can win a Grand Slam title?
Zverev needs to hold on to his third place ranking ahead of Roland Garros to ensure he will not have to play Sinner until at least the final.
The German is currently 505 ranking points ahead of Novak Djokovic, who is yet to play a clay court event in 2026.
With rumours he is set to play the Italian Open, Djokovic still has the chance to overtake Zverev and become the second seed at Roland Garros.
Zverev has reached the final of Roland Garros on one occasion, in 2024, when he was defeated by Alcaraz.
