Drastically altering the outlook for the remainder of the clay court swing in men’s tennis—and perhaps beyond—Carlos Alcaraz announced on Friday his withdrawal from the French Open and the preceding Italian Open, citing test results on his injured right wrist.
It’s hard to overstate the competitive relevance of Alcaraz for both the short-term and long-term future in men’s tennis. This injury has the potential to radically shift what’s coming at the top of the sport, so let’s dive into what we know so far—and what we don’t yet know—and to see where Alcaraz and the tour go from here.