Alcaraz's wrist injury dominates week ahead of Roland Garros

Tennis braces for the French Open amid turbulent news from the professional ranks. Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Roland Garros and Wimbledon due to a wrist injury, a bombshell that reshapes the men's draw and leaves his 2026 season severely derailed—though the Spaniard retains a rare opportunity to achieve an ATP milestone upon his return. The withdrawal sends immediate shockwaves through the sport, with speculation swirling about his recovery timeline. Meanwhile, the men's draw features Jannik Sinner as the overwhelming favorite after becoming the youngest man in history to complete the Career Golden Masters with his Rome 1000 triumph; he opens against French wild card Clément Tabur. Novak Djokovic begins his quest for a 25th Grand Slam with new coach Viktor Troicki in his corner, though he faces a challenging draw having avoided Sinner's half. On the women's side, Emma Raducanu draws Argentine clay specialist Solana Sierra in the first round—a tricky test—while Alexander Zverev headlines the men's seedings alongside Sinner and Djokovic. Off court, the sport confronts deeper fractures: players are threatening boycotts over longstanding compensation and revenue-share grievances, prize money remains stagnant despite complaints, and the tennis community mourned the loss of Howard Fendrich, the legendary AP writer who covered some 70 Grand Slam finals. The draw also marks Toby Samuel's British debut in the main draw after qualifying. The French Open begins Sunday with all eyes on Sinner, Djokovic's resilience, and the fallout from Alcaraz's absence.