Daniil Medvedev explains why Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open absence changes nothing for him

Photo by GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images

Daniil Medvedev explains why Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open absence changes nothing for him

Originally posted on HITC | By Filipe Guedes | Last updated May 22, 2026 3:45 PM ET

Carlos Alcaraz’s Roland Garros absence has become one of the tournament’s biggest storylines, but Daniil Medvedev is not changing his own outlook.

Alcaraz is dealing with a wrist injury and has also withdrawn from Queen’s Club and Wimbledon, raising wider questions over his fitness.

Medvedev, however, gave a direct explanation for why the Spaniard’s absence does not alter his approach in Paris.

Daniil Medvedev focused on his own path despite Carlos Alcaraz absence

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Speaking in his press conference this Friday, the Russian star said (via The Tennis Letter): “I’ll be honest, for me it doesn’t make a difference because it’s Roland Garros, I’ve never been in the semis here.

“I take it a match at a time. Of course, if I’m in semis and I play Jannik and maybe you know that Carlos isn’t there on the other side… you’re like ‘okay maybe it’s kind of an easier challenge to try to win the whole thing.’ But at the moment we’re not there.”

He then added: “I’m playing my 1st round, which I probably lost 6 times at Roland Garros so I just want to do my best and try to go further through the draw.

“And Jannik here or not there doesn’t change much my approach to the tournament.

“As I said, maybe if I’m in the semi’s or the final then I could actually answer the same question and say ‘Yeah you know what, he’s not here so it might be easier.’

“But in general I would say I hope he comes back as fast as possible.”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: