Paris hopes hinge on tests

Carlos Alcaraz says the next few days of medical tests on his right wrist will decide whether he even goes to Paris for the French Open. (reuters.com) Alcaraz, 22, said he is waiting on scan results after injuring the wrist during the Barcelona Open earlier this month. He withdrew from Barcelona on April 16 and then pulled out of the Madrid Open on April 17. (atptour.com 1) (atptour.com 2) He said the tests will be “crucial” and that he does not want to force a return that could create bigger problems later in the season. Alcaraz made those comments while appearing at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid with a brace on his right wrist. (bbc.com) (olympics.com) The timing is tight because Roland-Garros main-draw play starts on May 24 and runs through June 7. A late decision would leave Alcaraz with little or no match play between Monte Carlo on April 12 and the start of his title defense in Paris. (rolandgarros.com) (reuters.com) Paris is the center of his clay season because Alcaraz has won the past two French Open men’s singles titles. He is trying to become the first man since Rafael Nadal in 2019-20 to win Roland-Garros three years in a row. (tennisnerd.net) (rolandgarros.com) The injury also lands in the middle of a rankings fight. Alcaraz is world No. 2 in the ATP rankings, behind Jannik Sinner, after losing the Monte Carlo final to Sinner on April 12. (atptour.com) (reuters.com) Alcaraz said he first felt the problem during his opening match in Barcelona, and the discomfort worsened enough to stop him from practicing normally. Madrid was the bigger sacrifice emotionally because it is his home Masters 1000 event, but he said he needed to “listen to my body.” (sports.yahoo.com) (atptour.com) For now, the decision is not about seeding or preparation plans so much as whether the wrist can handle best-of-five-set tennis on clay. Alcaraz said the tests will tell him if defending the title in Paris is realistic, and he expects that answer soon. (bbc.com) (reuters.com)