Party boy Alcaraz considered a doubt for Queen’s club

Next week’s pre-Wimbledon tuneup at Queen’s club is fast losing traction, with French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz now considered a huge doubt to play.

The Spaniard’s camp have been keeping quiet about the grass programme for the world No. 2, who defeated Jannik Sinner in a five-hour, five-set Paris finals classic five days ago.

The five-time Grand Slam winner was last sighted this week on Spain’s anything-goes party Island of Ibiza; coach Juan Carlos Ferrero said his man would make a decision only upon his return and after medical tests for various niggles sustained during his Roland Garros triumph.

The 500-level event, formerly considered the prime Wimbledon tuneup at the toney and private West London club, is now scratching for entries after pullouts from defending champion Tommy Paul and  2024 finalist Lorenzo Musetti.

Paul is suffering leg and abdominal injuries from his Paris quarter-final run and is in no shape to start his grass campaign.

“I’ve been dealing with a bunch of things,” the 28-year-old said at Roland Garros.

“But just something in my lower ab I’ve been dealing with. I mean, for most of the match, I mean, I was feeling it.”

Drama queen Nick Kyrgios will also be missing after the volatile Australian prolonged his extended absence from tennis by withdrawing from the entire grass season.

To add to the pain, the former Wimbledon finalist who has barely played over the past three seasons due to injuries and apparent lack of motivation, has also not been re-hired as a Wimbledon pundit by the BBC. 

Also out with injury: popular two-time champion (2021 and 2022) Matteo Berrettini.

The Roman has been battling his latest round of injury and did not play at all in Paris after retiring in the Rome third round.

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz with Coupe des Mousquetaires at Roland Garros – by Roger Parker ISF ltd