Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday admitted a right wrist injury could prevent him from defending his French Open title and terminate his chance of pursuing a calendar Grand Slam.
Alcaraz saved three match points during the fourth set of the 2025 French Open final against Jannik Sinner as he came from two-sets down to claim the crown at the most prestigious event on the international tennis clay court circuit.
As winner of the 2026 Australian Open, Alcaraz is the only man who can achieve the fabled feat of winning all the four Grand Slam tournaments in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York during the same calendar year.
Steffi Graf from Germany was the last woman to pull off the feat in 1998. Rod Laver achieved it twice.
The Australian won all four in 1962 as an amateur player and again in 1969 when the Grand Slam events allowed professional players to participate.
French Open heroes Alcaraz and Sinner start their hunts for glory at Wimbledon
“We’ll see whether I can play,” Alcaraz told the Spanish television channel TVE after receiving the Laureus Award as the best male sportsman of 2025 at a gala ceremony in Madrid.
“We’ve been trying to do everything we can do to make sure that this test goes well," the 22-year-old Spaniard added.
"I’m trying to be very patient. We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will see how the injury is and what the next steps will be.”
Alcaraz withdrew from the ATP clay court tournament in Barcelona on 16 April a day after he had his right wrist treated during his first round victory over Otto Virtanen.
With Alcaraz, a two-time winner in Barcelona out of the tournament, Frenchman Arthur Fils surged through the field to claim the title following a straight sets victory over Andrey Rublev on Sunday.
Swiatek and Alcaraz warm up for US Open with crowns in Cincinnati
That success pushed Fils five places up to 25 in the ATP world listings and the honour of France's hitghest-ranker player ahead of Arthur Rinderknech at 26. Compatriots Corentin Moutet and Ugo Humbert are at 30 and 34 respectively.
The four are scheduled to be in action at Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Rome over the next three weeks ahead of the French Open.
Last Thursday, organisers of the 2026 French Open announced a €61 million purse for the event.
A player losing in the first round of the French Open will receive €87,000 up from €78,000 last year.
The 2026 men's and women's singles champions will take home the Coupe des Mousquetaires and the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen respectively as well as a cheque for €2.8 million.
Last year, Alcaraz strode away with €2.55 million for his endeavours over seven best-of-five set matches.
The women's champion, Coco Gauff, received the same amount after overcoming Aryna Sabalenka in the women's singles final.
