Jannik Sinner Wishes Injured Carlos Alcaraz Speedy Recovery and Hopes to See Him Play at Roland Garros

Carlos Alcaraz is injured and will skip the Madrid Open, the main draw of which is set to start on April 22. He is undergoing tests on his right wrist, which he injured while competing at the Barcelona Open, and was forced to withdraw from his second-round match.

Alcaraz, on Monday (April 20), won the Laureus Best Sportsperson of the Year 2025, and told reporters there that the injury could force him to withdraw from Roland Garros. His arch-rival, Jannik Sinner, is in Madrid to chase his fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title.

During the Laureus Awards, he expressed his wish to see Alcaraz play at the French Open, where last year, the World No.2 overcame a two-set deficit and saved three match points to defend his title. Sinner told reporters:

He is going through a difficult moment: we hope to see him again soon on the courts, maybe already in Rome. I hope he can also be there at Roland-Garros, because – when you want to win – you want to do it by beating the strongest in the world.

Last year on clay swing, Alcaraz won titles at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Italian Open, and the French Open. Sinner stopped him from defending his title in The Principality, and this helped him reclaim his No.1 ranking.

Alcaraz won the Laureus award over Sinner, as last year he played 11 finals, winning eight titles, including at the French Open and the US Open. Plus, he also lost the Wimbledon final and the ATP Finals to Sinner. He also lifted three Masters 1000 titles (Monte Carlo, Rome, and Cincinnati).

Because Sinner has no points to defend in Madrid, his victory will help him increase the No.1 ranking gap between him and the Spaniard. Sinner, a two-time champion on clay, has never advanced past the quarterfinals in the tournament, reaching that stage in 2024.

Benoit Paire advises Carlos Alcaraz and other top players to skip exhibitions

The top players complain that the calendar is too long. But those advocating for the 11-month calendar say instead of complaining, players should skip the lucrative exhibition events and, during that time, focus on rest and recovery.

Carlos Alcaraz is one such player who often squeezes exhibitions into his schedule. Former player Benoit Paire questioned his decision to sign up for exhibitions, as he is one of the top players who often criticizes the tennis calendar.

Winning money is important. When I finish my career, I need to have money, so for me, the calendar in tennis is good. For me, when you hear players saying the calendar is too long, it’s because they play a lot of exhibitions. If they want to stop, they can stop and not play any exhibitions. That’s what I think.

Benoit Paire said during an interview with Tennis365

Last year, Alcaraz played an exhibition in Puerto Rico against Frances Tiafoe. Later in the season, he played the Six King Slam in Riyadh and A Racquet at the Rock in Jew Jersey and the Miami Invitational in Miami.

They play exhibitions because they want to win more money. It’s not because the calendar is too long. That’s why I am sad when they cut some of the ATP 250 tournaments because it is important for the young players to play.

Benoit Paire added

This year, Alcaraz has tasted success in two tournaments. After defeating Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, the 22-year-old beat Arthur Fils in the Qatar Open final. Then he suffered a semifinal exit at the Indian Wells Masters and an early-round exit at the Miami Open. Sinner stopped him from defending his Monte Carlo title.

Also read: Marta Kostyuk Incredibly Proud After Winning All-Ukrainian Final: “It Was a Historical Moment”

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