French hopes at Roland Garros took a battering on Saturday as national No. 1 Arthur Fils withdrew from the Sunday start of the Grand Slam with a hip injury.

The ATP No. 19 who won the Barcelona title a month ago but had to retire recently in Rome after only four games, said he is unsure of his actual health situation.

“In Rome I felt a little bit (of pain) around the hip. After an exam, everything were looking pretty fine, but still a lot of pain.

“I was not able to practice for the last two weeks.:

The French hope said that a Saturday training session showed him he would be unable to front up for the Sunday start.

“I will not be fit 100 per cent to play the tournament, and I will not take any risk like I did last year (back pain which kept him out for eight months).

“I don’t want to be stupid, you know.”

The 21-year-old with four ATP titles managed the third round here a year ago, then was able to play just two matches until his injury return in February.”It’s just pain bothering me. When I step on the court, it’s just here. It’s never going away.

“If this was the the last tournament of my life, I would have played. But I have 10, 15 more years,”

Fils said his current injury is not the same as his 2025 back problems.

“It’s this (lower back or hip) area that bothering me since couple of weeks, but

I can’t say it now, because I don’t even know myself.”

The nightmare injury scenario of Carlos Alcaraz took a grim turn on Tuesday, with the Spaniard withdrawing from Wimbledon.

The world No. 2 who last played a match more than a month ago in Barcelona, quit the grass court Grand Slam as well as the tune up event at Queen’s Club, London.

The Alcaraz wrist problem surfaced during a first round win in Barcelona and has kept the former No. 1 off court ever since while top-ranked rival Jannik Sinner soars to new records.

Alcaraz is already due to miss Roland Garros, starting on Sunday, a major which he won a year ago.”My recovery is going well and I’m feeling much better, but unfortunately I’m still not ready to compete, which is why I have to withdraw from the grass-court swing at Queen’s and Wimbledon,” Alcaraz posted on Instagram.

“They are two truly special tournaments for me and I will miss them a lot.

“We’ll keep working to come back as soon as possible.”

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon 2025 – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd

On-fire Jannik Sinner could increase his lead atop the ATP rankings after Madrid Masters pullouts from top rival Carlos Alcaraz and always-dangerous Novak Djokovic.

Sinner clinched back atop the table a week ago as he defeated Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo title and increase his unbeaten match streak to 17 with titles in Indian Wells, Miami and the principality.

Spain’s Alcaraz foreshadowed his Madrid absence by withdrawing before his second round match in Barcelona, citing a wrist problem he developed in Monaco.

He will miss out on a title defence chance in the Spanish capital with his fitness for the upcoming Rome Masters – another trophy to defend – now at least in doubt.

The 38-year-old Djokovic, a three-time Madrid winner, has not competed since losing to Brit Jack Draper in the Indian Wells fourth round six weeks ago.