Yesterday, Carlos Alcaraz shook the tennis world with confirmation that nobody wanted to see.
His wrist injury, sustained earlier this month at Barcelona, was worse than first feared, and he would not be able to compete in this year’s Roland Garros.
It marks a hammer blow for the 22-year-old and the competition, at which he was the two-time defending champion.
Rafael Nadal, who knows all about winning the French Open, was unsurprisingly sympathetic towards Carlos Alcaraz upon hearing this crushing news.
He took to social media to send a message to his fellow Spaniard.
Rafa Nadal’s reaction to Carlos Alcaraz’s Roland Garros withdrawal
“Hang in there, Carlos!” He began, with a level of empathy that few others could match.
Nadal enjoyed one of the greatest tennis careers of all time, but he routinely had to battle injury concerns that hampered his excellence.
How worried are you about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury?
Carlos Alcaraz will miss Rome and Roland Garros…
He will hope that Alcaraz does not suffer the same fate that he did, as he continued: “I hope you have a speedy recovery.”
Nadal finished with some words of inspiration, adding: “These difficult moments highlight everything you’re doing. Stay strong and sending you a big hug!”
Ironically, it was recently claimed that Nadal’s achievements now look even better after Alcaraz’s injury, although he will not be looking at this tennis tragedy in such a positive light.
Roland Garros releases official statement confirming Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal
Unsurprisingly, the tournament itself was heartbroken to learn of Alcaraz’s withdrawal due to injury.
After all, not only have they lost their defending champion, but they have also lost arguably their biggest draw too.
Just last night, they released a full statement on the decision, which was tinged with sadness.
They wrote on Instagram: “Some heartbreaking news as Carlos Alcaraz, our 2024 and 2025 champion, will not be able to defend his title at Roland-Garros 2026 due to a wrist injury.
“Wishing you all the best in your recovery Carlos, we’ll miss you!”
Jannik Sinner also gave his immediate reaction to Alcaraz’s injury news yesterday after he won his opening-round match in Madrid.
