Coco Gauff has shared her candid reaction to the setback faced by Carlos Alcaraz, who has been forced to discard his title defense plans at both the 2026 Italian Open and the French Open. The Spaniard made the decision to cut his clay-court season short after sustaining a wrist injury in his opening match at the Barcelona Open, expressing a desire to exercise caution and protect his long-term career.
Why Coco Gauff Is ‘So Sad’ About Carlos Alcaraz Missing the French Open
While Carlos Alcaraz is missing in action at the Madrid Open, Coco Gauff has made an emphatic start to her campaign with a dominant 6-3, 6-0 win over Leolia Jeanjean in the second round. The American learned of Alcaraz’s decision to skip the prestigious events in Rome and Paris soon after leaving the court, and it left her feeling extremely sad.
Gauff shared a heartwarming message while addressing fans on TikTok, sending her best wishes to the seven-time Grand Slam champion and lamenting the unfortunate timing of his injury. Nevertheless, she made a confident call about the Spaniard’s ability to rebound from the setback.
“I’m so sad about Carlos. Like that was the first thing I saw after I finished my match. I wish him all the best. Seriously, he is a nice person. I mean, I don’t know him super well but the times we’ve interacted, he seems like a really nice person,” Gauff said.
“So I’m really sad for any player that gets hurt. It just sucks because the timing of it is also unfortunate. But you already know, like y’all he’s literally insane so he’s literally going to come back and be back like nothing ever happened.”
MORE: Coco Gauff Applauds Carlos Alcaraz’s Gracious Message to Jannik Sinner After Final Loss
On a lighter note, the American didn’t hesitate when asked to name her favorite players to watch on tour, promptly saying, “Currently Jannik [Sinner] and Carlos, duh.”
While Carlos Alcaraz will miss his title defense at the French Open, Coco Gauff will arrive at Roland Garros with ambitions of retaining her crown and clinching her third Grand Slam title. Although the 22-year-old has been open about her mixed feelings regarding the surface, she will draw confidence from a strong 2025 clay swing, having finished as the runner-up at the WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome before capping it off with a statement victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open final.
Gauff will continue her Madrid Open campaign against Sorana Cîrstea in the third round. The American will enter the contest with the upper hand as she enjoys a flawless 2-0 winning record against Cîrstea. If she emerges victorious, Gauff will face the winner of the match between Linda Nosková and Liudmila Samsonova in the fourth round.
