Wimbledon 2026 Final Medical Briefing: Arthur Fils and Jack Draper Cleared Amid High-Profile Withdrawals

The final countdown to the 2026 Wimbledon Championships is underway, and the medical updates are dictating the shape of the men's and women's draws. With main-draw action beginning on June 29 at the All England Club, several high-profile players have faced a race against the clock to prove their fitness on the demanding grass surface.[2]

The most encouraging news of the week comes from the French camp, where Arthur Fils has officially declared himself fit for the grass-court major. The 22-year-old had not played competitively since May 9, when a severe hip injury forced him to retire at the Rome Masters and subsequently withdraw from Roland Garros.[1]

However, after skipping the early grass-court warm-up events, Fils confirmed to French media that his recovery has hit its targets. "Normally, I should be at 100%," Fils stated after a recent practice session. "Today I played a match, everything went very, very well, I had no pain, so it's very good." He was recently spotted training at full intensity with world number one Jannik Sinner.[1]

British fans also received a massive boost with the successful return of former top-five player Jack Draper. Draper had been sidelined for over two months following a knee injury sustained at the Barcelona Open, which compounded a difficult year that previously included a severe shoulder issue.[6]

Draper silenced doubts about his physical resilience at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, securing a commanding 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over Marcos Giron in his first match back. "I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to play on the grass this year," Draper admitted post-match, noting that surviving the physical test on home turf was a massive relief ahead of Wimbledon.[6]

Italy’s Matteo Berrettini has also breathed a sigh of relief. The former Wimbledon finalist suffered a frightening psoas muscle scare during his quarterfinal run at Roland Garros, prompting fears of another long-term layoff.[5]

Medical imaging in Paris revealed no serious muscle tear, allowing Berrettini to immediately transition to grass-court preparation. He confirmed his readiness on social media, stating his primary goal was to reach London in peak condition, positioning himself once again as a dangerous unseeded threat on the fast surface.[5]

Not all injury races ended in triumph, however. Carlos Alcaraz officially withdrew from the entire grass-court season, including his Wimbledon title defense, due to lingering right wrist tenosynovitis. The Spanish star and his medical team opted for a cautious approach, prioritizing a full recovery ahead of the North American hard-court swing rather than risking chronic damage.[2]

Denmark's Holger Rune also confirmed his absence as he continues to rehabilitate a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in late 2025. Rune recently admitted that a grueling late-season schedule contributed to the injury. "Everything in a row was just too much for me," Rune explained, noting that while he is finally playing practice points, he will not rush his return for Wimbledon.[4]

The Italian contingent will also be without Lorenzo Musetti, who failed to recover in time from a femoral rectus tear sustained in Rome. Musetti noted that while his rehabilitation is progressing, the lack of full-speed training made competing in best-of-five-set matches impossible.[3]

On the women's side, the slick early-season grass claimed a high-profile victim at the Queen's Club. Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko suffered a severe knee injury after slipping during her singles match, forcing her to withdraw from both singles and her highly anticipated doubles partnership with a returning Serena Williams.[7]

Despite the setback for her partner, Williams herself has emerged from the warm-up events physically unscathed. The 44-year-old legend, who accepted a singles wild card for Wimbledon, utilized doubles appearances in Berlin and London to test her match fitness and is now set for her first Grand Slam singles appearance since the 2022 US Open.[8]

The wave of late medical clearances and withdrawals has fundamentally altered the tournament's landscape. With Alcaraz sidelined, Sinner's path to defending his title sees a major obstacle removed, while the successful returns of heavy hitters like Berrettini, Draper, and Fils ensure the early rounds will remain fiercely contested.[2][5]