Top Players on Injury, Fitness Alert Ahead of French Open, Including Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 French Open is right around the corner, with many players armed to the teeth to clinch the elusive title. On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner, the top seed, is chasing his first trophy at the tournament in the absence of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is sidelined due to a wrist injury.
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On the women’s side, compatriots Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk are fancying deep runs after their heroics in Rome and Madrid, respectively. Meanwhile, Iga Świątek is rediscovering her form as Coco Gauff prepares to defend her title.
Not all players are entering the French Open fully fit, though. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka hasn’t yet found her footing on clay, while Novak Djokovic is competing with just one clay match under his belt. Both players have recently been compromised by injuries. On that note, here’s a look at top players who’ve struggled with fitness of late.
Players’ Fitness Concerns Ahead of French Open
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic has competed at only three tournaments so far this year. After reaching the final of the Australian Open, the Serb withdrew from the tournament in Doha that followed due to fatigue. His Indian Wells comeback ended with a loss to Jack Draper in the fourth round, after which Djokovic pulled out of Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid due to a lingering right shoulder injury.
His return to competition at the Italian Open didn’t pan out as planned either. The recently turned 39-year-old lost his opening match in three sets to Dino Prižmić. “I wanted to play more, but my body was not allowing me. I was going through rehabilitation process for my injury,” the Seb told the reporters in Paris.
“I really wanted to go to Rome to give it a shot and try and see how I feel. I was far from being ready to compete, but still, I needed at least that one match just to have the score called by chair umpire and have experience of the nerves before I eventually come to Roland-Garros, which at that point I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play or not.”
Djokovic begins his campaign against a tough opponent in Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka hasn’t been her usual self on clay so far. After winning the Sunshine Double in March, the World No. 1 delayed her campaign on red dirt by pulling out of the WTA 500 in Stuttgart. Upon resuming her run in Madrid, she suffered a quarterfinal loss to Hailey Baptiste.
At the Italian Open, Sabalenka was beaten by Sorana Cîrstea in the third round. She confirmed injury to the lower back/hip after her exit. During her French Open press conference, however, she assured the reporters that she had recovered.
“Right now, I feel 100%. We focused on recovery and made sure that I’m healed everywhere and I’m ready to go, and right now, as I said, physically, I’m ready to go.”
Sabalenka faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round.
Alexander Zverev
Zverev has played plenty of tennis this season, making deep runs at tournaments more often than not. The German has subsequently coped with a back discomfort he first encountered last year. During his press conference in Paris, Zverev confirmed experiencing a flare-up after competing at Munich in April.
He didn’t appear to be in the best shape during his practices at Stade Roland Garros, but the German insisted that he feels ready, regardless. “I’ve had some time off after Rome; I could take care of my back a little bit, so that was very, very useful. I went to see some doctors in Germany, which was very, very useful, and I feel good. I feel like I’m ready to go and yeah, hopefully I can show that on the court on Sunday.”
Zverev, a former French Open finalist, starts his pursuit against local Benjamin Bonzi.
Amanda Anisimova
Only Amanda Anisimova knows about her fitness ahead of the French Open. The American hasn’t played a single match on the surface this year. She was sidelined since the Miami Open due to a wrist injury, missing tournaments in Charleston, Madrid, and Rome. Anisimova has kicked it up a notch during her training sessions at the French Open to best prepare for the fortnight.
French hope Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah is Anisimova’s first opponent.
João Fonseca
Fonseca’s precautionary withdrawal at the Hamburg Open triggered concerns in the tennis community after the Brazilian youngster pointed out a wrist discomfort. His clay season hasn’t been as memorable, and early exits in Madrid and Rome have only worsened his woes. Ahead of his first match in Paris, Fonseca has indicated that his injury wasn’t worrisome.
“Feeling much better. I mean, it was nothing that serious to worry about it,” he said. “With the French Open coming, we just wanted to rest a bit, focus on full recovery, and I’m already practicing 100%, feeling good in court,” he added.
Fonseca’s first challenge at the French Open is Frenchman Luka Pavlovic.
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Madison Keys
After losing early in Rome, Madison Keys contested the WTA 125 event in Paris. The American reached the final and led 6-3, 3-3 against Diane Parry when she was forced to abandon the showdown after injuring her thigh. She subsequently withdrew from the Internationaux de Strasbourg to recover in time for the upcoming Slam.
“I kind of hurt myself in the final, but I don’t think that it’s too serious. Obviously being super conservative so that I can be ready for Roland Garros,” Keys said on the recent episode of the Player’s Box podcast.
Keys begins her campaign against Belian Hanne Vandewinkel.
Taylor Fritz
Fritz was on an extended break from tennis after his early exit at the Miami Open. The player had warned about his potential absence in advance, courtesy of the lingering knee and oblique injuries. He made an unsuccessful comeback in Geneva, losing his opening match to Alexei Popyrin.
“I’ve gotten over the hill with the knee. I’m still gonna feel it from time to time, but I’ve gotten to the point where I can play and probably not irritate it too much,” he said in his press conference.
“I really just needed that time off to get that last bit of progress that I was looking for. A bit rusty, obviously, but feeling good physically,” he added.
Fritz faces compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy in the first round.
Cameron Norrie
20 seed Norrie, who reached the fourth round in Paris last year, enters the 2026 edition on a three-match losing streak. After losing his fourth-round match against eventual champion Jannik Sinner in Madrid, Norrie suffered early exits in Rome and Geneva.
Ahead of his opening match at Stade Roland Garros, the Brit told BBC Sport about his rib discomfort. “It is a small problem with my rib. I overdid it with the preparation and not listening to my body and my mind. I probably should have retired (in Geneva). I kept pushing because I had never retired before in a match in my career, so I wasn’t sure what to do.”
“But I’m here. Luckily I’m scheduled on Tuesday, so it gives me some time to get ready,” he added.
Norrie’s French Open campaign starts with a match against Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.