Barely coming out of his not-so-simple victory in the second round against Benjamin Bonzi (6-7, 6-1, 6-4), Friday at the end of the day in Madrid, Jannik Sinner was assailed by a pack of journalists curious to have his reaction to the news that had just fallen: Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Roland-Garros.
News that changes everything, of course, as the Parisian Grand Slam approaches, of which the Spaniard is the double title holder. “I hope he comes back and doesn’t have any further injuries afterwards. It’s good that he and his team are taking the time. We all want him to be competitive when he comes back. His next goal, I guess for him, and I hope so, is Wimbledon. So I hope he will be back there,” said the Italian at first.
Circumstances, but which we can also believe to be sincere. Sinner knows well that the great history of sport is built through rivalries. As soon as one of the protagonists is missing, he leaves a void that is impossible to fill. So even if this package opens the door wide for him to win his first Roland, the world number 1 cannot be happy about it.
“Tennis needs Carlos and is better when he is there. And even for me, it’s always more pleasant when he is present, added the Italian. It’s painful and very sad for all of tennis. »
Everyone was impatiently awaiting the Porte d’Auteuil tournament, hoping for a big moment, after last year’s epic final when Alcaraz saved three match points before overthrowing Sinner to win in five sets and 5h29 of play.
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The tournament director, Amélie Mauresmo, is well aware that the atmosphere will not be quite the same without Carlitos. “We are a little disappointed after the exceptional final last year,” she admitted, while assuring that this 2026 edition “would continue to live” with “perhaps new names”. The former champion knows well, in any case, that this decision must have been “very difficult to make” for the Spaniard.
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