Serena Williams sends Carlos Alcaraz a three-word message after latest injury update
Carlos Alcaraz has been confirmed to miss at least five months of competitive action due to the wrist injury he suffered at the Barcelona Open.
The Spaniard hurt his wrist at the Spanish event against Otto Virtanen in a match he eventually won, but he was forced to withdraw from his match against Tomas Machac.
The wrist injury has proved to be very serious and has kept him out of the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, Roland Garros, Queen’s, and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz’s absence from tennis will continue into August, too, as the World No 3 is not on the entry list for the Canadian Open at the start of that month.
That means Alcaraz’s next likely tournament will be the Cincinnati Open, which is set to begin on the 12th August. In the meantime, the Spaniard has been updating his fans on his progress with videos on Instagram.
In the social media clips, Alcaraz can be seen hitting both forehands and backhands, and preparing the serving movement without actually hitting it.
The videos have worried many tennis legends, with Boris Becker suggesting Alcaraz is ‘far off’ a tennis return, but 23-time singles Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has shared a more positive message for the Spaniard.
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In the comments of Alcaraz’s latest video, Williams simply said: “They not ready”, presumably teasing the Spaniard’s level when he returns to competitive action.
This is not the first time Williams has sent a positive message to Alcaraz. In a 2025 interview with ABC, Williams heaped praise on the seven-time Grand Slam champion.
“He is doing incredible things,” said Williams. “I’m an unconditional fan of Carlos. I always call him when he plays, to cheer him on.”
Rumours have also been swirling about Williams and Alcaraz teaming together for the first time in their careers.
Speaking on Served, Jon Wertheim suggested the pair could be set for an all-star doubles partnership for the US Open Mixed Doubles Challenge.
“I know there are plans for her,” said the legendary tennis journalist. “I think people in New York and the USTA are really keen to see her play something. Whether it’s mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, doubles, or all three.”
The US Open Mixed Doubles Challenge began in 2025 and saw the likes of Alcaraz paired with Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper teaming with Jessica Pegula at Flushing Meadows.
Williams is no stranger to all-star doubles partnerships, having famously partnered with Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2019. The Grand Slam winning pair reached the third round of the competition, but they stole many a headline during the UK tournament.
