Carlos Alcaraz’s injury poses a huge threat to the ATP Tour, as the competition for Jannik Sinner now seems nonexistent.
And, the Italian has already begun capitalising on the absence of his great rival, having won the Madrid Open with minimal fuss.
It’s hard to bet against him continuing that trend in Rome and Paris, having lost both finals against the Spaniard in 2025.
It feels like the entire tennis world is pining for Carlos Alcaraz’s return, not just to see his enigmatic brand of tennis back on the court, but just to provide some genuine competition for Sinner.
At long last, after what feels like forever, we finally have an update on the world number two’s fitness.
What Carlos Alcaraz told a fellow player about his injury
This came courtesy of Pablo Andujar, a current ATP player, who was speaking to Spanish outlet RNE Deportes. He claimed to have spoken to Alcaraz just last week.
He claimed: “No, look, let me tell you, I was lucky enough to talk to him for five minutes the day before yesterday, and he told me that he wants to come back when he’s 100%. He doesn’t set deadlines; he takes it day by day.
When does Jannik Sinner next lose a tennis match? 👀
“Because it’s true that I, for example, have my own experience of having had three operations—well, five operations on my elbow. When you set deadlines, if you don’t reach that deadline, that goal can create a certain anxiety, even a little depression.
“So I think the important thing is that he takes it day by day, and I see him as very aware that when he comes back, he’ll already be 100%.”
Alcaraz has already withdrawn from the Italian Open and Roland Garros, and is expected to be back for the grass-court season.
Carlos Alcaraz’s injury branded ‘bad for tennis’
With Sinner struggling to name a player who can challenge him in Alcaraz’s absence, it’s hard to argue against what Sky Sports pundit Jonathan Overend recently said about his injury.
“It’s pretty devastating because in men’s tennis it means Sinner and Alcaraz,” he said. “They’ve played many times already in their young rivalry but if we’re really honest they haven’t played a classic match since the French Open final of last season.”
How worried are you about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury?
Carlos Alcaraz will miss Rome and Roland Garros…
He argued that the injury in general was ‘bad news for men’s tennis’, mainly attributed to the fact that Sinner is now expected to win everything.
Overend added: “It’s going to be quite a lot to ask from him because he will go to Rome, he’ll go to Paris, and then of course we hit the grass with Alcaraz on the comeback, so it is entirely possible that he could win everything in the meantime.”
