Greg Rusedski Warns Carlos Alcaraz May Miss Wimbledon 2025 Due to Wrist Injury

Carlos Alcaraz’s injury troubles may extend well beyond the clay court season, with former world No. 4 Greg Rusedski predicting the two-time Wimbledon finalist could also be absent from this year’s grass court Grand Slam.

The world No. 2 sustained a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open, a setback that has kept him sidelined throughout the entire clay court swing. Alcaraz has already missed the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, and has confirmed he will not compete at Roland Garros. While the Spaniard had tentatively been expected to return for the grass court season — with Queen’s Club and Wimbledon in June and July pencilled in — Rusedski believes that timeline may prove overly optimistic.

Speaking on Off Court with Greg, Rusedski commented primarily on Novak Djokovic’s prospects at Roland Garros before turning attention to Alcaraz’s injury status. “With Carlos out, I don’t think Carlos is going to be back for Wimbledon this year,” Rusedski said. “I think, you know, that’s where Djokovic is thinking, okay, that’s where I want to peak. That’s where I want to be as healthy as possible. But I’m going to try to get my reps in through Paris, maybe play a few tournaments on the grass, and then peak for Wimbledon. Never discount him.”

Rusedski added: “If Novak’s healthy and the body’s there, he can beat anybody. He’s still that good. But it kind of feels like this is like crunchtime moments coming up from the next few weeks.”

The former British No. 1 grounded his concerns in a pointed historical comparison, invoking the cautionary tale of Argentine great Juan Martin del Potro, whose career was severely disrupted by recurring wrist injuries. “We always miss Carlos, but he’s doing the right thing,” Rusedski said. “Health is your wealth. He doesn’t want to be like Juan Martin Del Potro, who came back too early, too many wrist injuries, never managed to fulfill his huge potential. What a great player we lost there for long periods of time. And until he’s ready, he won’t be back.”

Del Potro, a former world No. 3 and 2009 US Open champion, underwent multiple wrist surgeries across his career, ultimately retiring in 2022 without having recaptured his peak form following his injury struggles — a trajectory Rusedski clearly regards as a warning for Alcaraz’s camp.

From a rankings perspective, the extended absence carries limited immediate risk for the Spaniard. Alcaraz sits more than 6,000 ranking points ahead of Alexander Zverev in third place, meaning he would likely retain his world No. 2 standing even if he were to miss the remainder of the season. Despite this cushion, the grass court swing does represent a significant points defence: Alcaraz won the Queen’s Club title last year, defeating Jiri Lehecka in the London final, before reaching the Wimbledon final, where he lost to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz, 22, is a three-time Grand Slam champion, having won the US Open in 2022, Wimbledon in 2023, and Roland Garros in 2024. His absence from the grass court season would further open the draw at Wimbledon, potentially benefiting Djokovic — a seven-time champion at the All England Club — as well as Sinner, who claimed his first Wimbledon title last year. The full extent of Alcaraz’s injury and an official return date have not yet been confirmed by the player or his team.