By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
The 2026 Wimbledon Championships are in full swing, and several top players are absent this year through injuries!
These include Carlos Alcaraz, the seven-times major champion, with a wrist injury, and Jack Draper, the former world number 4 player, with a long-standing arm problem.
Draper believes that the demands placed on the top players, namely, a gruelling season with a short break, longer matches and more physical battles, are responsible for this situation.
He commented as follows:
"When I look at the draws, everything is shoulder, arm, wrist [injuries]. They need to really take a close look at what we're doing on tour."
And former world number one player, Tracy Austin, commented as follows:
"There are so many great players that everyone is pushing to find that extra 1% - spending more time on the court and in the gym."
And added as follows:
"Some are playing more tournaments than is good for them, either mentally or physically. It is very, very demanding in all aspects."
This is a worrying trend and one that the tennis authorities need to address!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘