The world's top one-handed backhand star misses Wimbledon 2026

The Wimbledon committee continues to struggle after another high-profile player withdraws from the year's third major tournament.

The tennis world has received another unfortunate absence ahead of Wimbledon 2026, as Italian player Lorenzo Musetti officially announced his withdrawal from the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam due to an incomplete recovery from a thigh injury.

He confirmed the news on June 17 via his personal Instagram account. The 24-year-old stated that his recovery is progressing well, but he is still not ready to return to high-intensity training and competition.

"I want to give an update on my recovery from the injury sustained in Rome. The treatment is going very well and all medical checks have been positive. However, I am still unable to begin a full training program. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at Wimbledon this year. This was not an easy choice, but it is the right one.", Musetti shared.

The thigh injury forced the Italian star to stop playing since mid-May, after his loss to Casper Ruud at the Italian Open on home soil. Since then, Musetti has not participated in any tournament and was also forced to miss Roland Garros, where he was expected to make an impact on his preferred clay surface.

Missing Wimbledon is a significant blow for Italian tennis and for Musetti himself. Two years ago, the 2002-born player delivered an impressive performance by reaching the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time, his best result at a Grand Slam. That run helped Musetti solidify his place among the top young players on the ATP Tour and once rose to world No. 5.

However, physical issues have caused many obstacles for the world's top one-handed backhand player in the 2026 season. Consecutively missing two major Grand Slams, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, will certainly affect his ranking and chances of competing for major titles this year.

Besides Musetti, two other notable names missing Wimbledon include the reigning runner-up Carlos Alcaraz and Valentin Vacherot.