Yardbarker
x
Jannik Sinner set to run the table after Carlos Alcaraz news
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) and Jannik Sinner (ITA) pos for a photo after the final of men's singles at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Jannik Sinner poised to rack up Grand Slams this summer after Carlos Alcaraz injury announcement

By Clark Dalton  |  Last updated May 19, 2026 6:20 PM ET
Google Add us as a preferred source on Google

Let's just hand Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner the French Open and Wimbledon trophies now that his biggest rival is set to miss both. 

Spanish standout Carlos Alcaraz announced Tuesday he's not playing at Wimbledon (scheduled June 29-July 12 in London) because of a right wrist injury suffered in the first round of the Barcelona Open in April. The seven-time Grand Slam winner already withdrew from the French Open, which begins Sunday in Paris.  

"My recovery is going well, and I feel much better, but unfortunately, I'm still not ready to be able to play, and that's why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen's and Wimbledon," Alcaraz said, via a statement. "They are two really special tournaments for me, and I'll miss them a lot. We keep working to return as soon as possible!" 

Alcaraz may return for the U.S. Open (scheduled Aug. 23-Sept. 13 in New York). In the meantime, world No. 1 Sinner should continue to rack up Grand Slams and other titles; he may have done so even if world No. 2 Alcaraz were healthy. He has reached another level in 2026, putting him in a position to post one of the best seasons ever.

Carlos Alcaraz news only makes dominant Jannik Sinner summer feel more inevitable 

Sinner has yet to win a Grand Slam this season, but that's bound to change. He's won five of the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments this year. Only 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has won more of these events (six) in a season (2015), via OptaAce.

One of those victories came against Alcaraz at the Monte-Carlo Masters Final on April 12, in which Sinner beat his rival 7-6 (5), 6-3. That improved his record against Alcaraz to 7-10. 

Outside of Alcaraz — 22-3 in singles matches this season — Sinner faces little competition. He has a staggering 36-2 record in singles matches (8-1 against top-10 players) and has amassed 14,700 ATP points. Alcaraz has accumulated the second-most points (11,960), while German Alexander Zverev has recorded the third most (5,705). 

The ATP awards these points to players as they win individual matches, and the prestige of events is a factor. Winning a Grand Slam, for example, counts for 2,000. 

Fans may have had hope for American Ben Shelton (4,030 points) after he won the BMW Open in Munich on April 19, but the world No. 6 appears to be losing his mojo. He has dropped three of four matches since that title, including a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 loss to German Daniel Altmaier (world No. 65) in the second round of the Hamburg Open on Tuesday.

Djokovic beat Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Australian Open semifinal on Jan. 30. But the tennis legend — who turns 39 on Friday — may no longer have the endurance to go the distance in another grueling match against Sinner. He has played in 10 singles matches in 2026, going 7-3. 

With all of this in mind, the tennis world may be entering the summer of Sinner. 

Clark Dalton
X Muck Rack

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA.