Carlos Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon this year because of an ongoing wrist problem, answering why is Carlos Alcaraz not playing Wimbledon before the tournament begins on Monday. The two-time champion had won Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, then lost last summer's final to Jannik Sinner.
Carlos Alcaraz and Wimbledon
He confirmed in May that he would withdraw, and that leaves Wimbledon without one of its biggest names at the start of the fortnight in London. As many as 16 prominent stars will be absent this year, so the draw opens without several of the players who would normally shape the early rounds.
Marketa Vondrousova in London
Marketa Vondrousova is out for a different reason. The 2023 Wimbledon champion has been handed a four-year suspension after declining to provide a sample during an out-of-competition examination, and she has not featured since the Adelaide International in January.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed her ban in April and said she prevented a doping control officer from entering her residence to carry out a test. The case went to a hearing, where she was ruled to have breached regulations, and she will be unable to compete again until June 2030.
Karen Moorhouse on testing
Moorhouse said the testing process is uncomfortable and is an additional burden for players. She also said safety and welfare are really important, that testers are well-trained and professional, and that the gender of the testing witness always matches the player.
Vondrousova said the incident came after months of physical and mental stress, and that years of hateful messages and threats have affected how safe she feels in her own space. Her absence, alongside Alcaraz's wrist problem, is one reason Wimbledon begins with a thinner field than usual.
