Wimbledon 2026 Faces Wave of Injury Withdrawals as Alcaraz, Rune, and Mboko Exit

Just weeks before the first serve of the 2026 Championships, the All England Lawn Tennis Club is grappling with a significant wave of injury withdrawals that has reshaped the tournament's landscape. As of late June, at least 13 singles players have officially pulled out of the Wimbledon main draw, citing a range of physical setbacks exacerbated by the grueling transition from clay to grass. The attrition has hit both the ATP and WTA tours heavily, removing former champions, rising stars, and highly anticipated comeback narratives from the £64.2 million prize pool event.[1][6]

The most high-profile absence on the men's side is two-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who has been forced to skip the entire grass-court swing. The Spanish star is dealing with right wrist tenosynovitis, an inflammatory condition originally sustained during his first-round match at the Barcelona Open in April. Despite initial hopes that he could recover in time for the London major, his medical team ultimately decided against risking further damage on the demanding grass surface. His absence removes one of the sport's biggest draws and a primary challenger to the top seeds.[1][4]

Joining Alcaraz on the sidelines is former world No. 4 Holger Rune, whose highly anticipated return to the tour has been delayed once again. The 23-year-old Danish star has not played a competitive match since October 2025, when he suffered a devastating Achilles tendon rupture at the Stockholm Open. Rune had initially targeted a comeback during the late spring clay season, but a recent knee discomfort setback forced him to abandon his grass-court plans entirely.[2][6]

Rune's camp has emphasized a cautious, long-term approach to his rehabilitation, refusing to rush his return for the sake of a single Grand Slam. "It is not an easy decision to miss Wimbledon, but the long-term goal is unchanged: to come back stronger and be ready to compete at the highest level," Rune stated, noting that recent scans have shown positive progress despite the delay. His mother and manager, Aneke Rune, confirmed the decision, highlighting the physical demands of best-of-five-set matches on a recovering Achilles.[2][6]

The attrition continues down the ATP rankings, with several other notable players forced to concede their main draw spots. Rising Czech star Tomas Machac officially announced his withdrawal after medical scans revealed that a left foot muscle tear, which he suffered during a second-round match at Roland Garros, has not healed sufficiently to withstand grass-court play. Machac expressed his disappointment on social media but stated he is focusing on returning for the North American hard-court swing later this summer.[1][3]

The men's seeded field has been further depleted by the absences of Lorenzo Musetti and Sebastian Korda. Musetti, who reached the semifinals of a grass-court event last year, is sidelined with a persistent thigh injury sustained during the grueling clay-court season. Meanwhile, Korda remains out of action due to a lower back injury that has severely hampered his movement since the Miami Open in March. Their withdrawals have opened up crucial seeding spots for players hovering just outside the top 32.[1][3][4]

The WTA draw has been similarly impacted by the injury wave, most notably disrupting one of the summer's biggest tennis storylines: the return of Serena Williams. The 44-year-old American icon was scheduled to make her comeback in a highly anticipated doubles pairing with Canadian Victoria Mboko. However, their campaign at the Queen's Club Championships was abruptly cut short when Mboko suffered a severe knee injury during a singles match, slipping on the grass and leaving the court in tears.[4][5]

Medical evaluations later confirmed that Mboko sustained a Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) tear in her left knee, forcing her to withdraw from both the singles and doubles events at Wimbledon. The injury not only halts the Canadian's promising grass-court season but also leaves Williams without her planned partner for the London major. Williams is now expected to pivot and play alongside her sister, Venus Williams, in a nostalgic doubles partnership that will undoubtedly draw massive crowds.[1][4][5]

Other notable absences on the women's side include Hailey Baptiste and Iva Jovic. Baptiste is facing a lengthy rehabilitation period after suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear during her campaign at Roland Garros last month. Meanwhile, 18-year-old American rising star Iva Jovic was forced to withdraw from a tune-up event in Nottingham after requiring extensive medical treatment and bandaging for a left ankle injury sustained during her Queen's Club semifinal against Emma Raducanu.[1][7]

The physical toll of the short grass-court season has also affected players desperately trying to secure their Wimbledon preparation. Paula Badosa, who missed Roland Garros due to injury, recently halted her grass-court momentum by withdrawing from the Bad Homburg Open with a leg injury. While her entry into the Wimbledon main draw remains intact for now, the lack of competitive match play on the surface raises significant questions about her physical readiness for the two-week Grand Slam.[8]

While the wave of injuries represents a significant blow to fans, broadcasters, and tournament organizers, it has simultaneously created career-changing opportunities for players on the fringes of the tour. The 13 main draw withdrawals have allowed alternates and lucky losers to bypass the grueling qualifying rounds. Players such as Jesper de Jong, Darja Vidmanova, and Hanne Vandewinkel have all secured direct entry into the main draw, guaranteeing them a minimum payout from the record prize pool and a chance to compete on the sport's biggest stage.[1][3][4]

As the official draw ceremony approaches on June 26, tournament officials and medical teams across the sport are closely monitoring the remaining field. The transition from the slow, high-bouncing clay of Paris to the slick, low-bouncing grass of London is notoriously demanding on the lower body, and players are taking unprecedented precautions. For those who have survived the tune-up events unscathed, the path to the Wimbledon trophy may look slightly more open, but the physical stakes have never been higher.[1][3]