Rafael Nadal knows pain better than anyone. The man who spent two decades fighting his own body spoke this week about Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal from Roland-Garros, while opening his museum on the sidelines of the Rome Masters 1000.
The Mallorcan champion struck a reassuring tone when speaking to RNE Deportes. "He has enough experience, he knows things happen. Obviously, it's a big setback," Nadal acknowledged before adding: "I think at this stage he's a very complete player, winning everywhere. But where he has the most ability to make a difference is during the clay court season."
The timing of the wrist injury is cruel. Alcaraz, the defending Roland-Garros champion, was poised to attack the second half of the clay season with ambitions of retaining his Paris title. His absence leaves a gaping hole in the draw, already missing Lorenzo Musetti (injury) and Holger Rune (Achilles surgery).
Nadal, who himself suffered similar wrist injuries in 2016, sought to put things in perspective. "Things like these can seem dramatic in the moment, but when you put them into perspective, a different kind of injury comes along. And I think luckily it isn't going to be chronic," he said.
The former world No.1 also revealed he spoke with Alcaraz when the injury happened, without sharing details: "What we talked about, that stays between us." He endorsed the withdrawal decision: "I think he has made the right decisions. Taking into account that he is very young and has a whole career ahead of him."
The 2026 clay season continues without its reigning king. Jannik Sinner, imperious in Rome with 32 consecutive Masters 1000 victories, now stands as the overwhelming favorite for Roland-Garros.
