Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz Withdraw from Rotterdam

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THE TOURNAMENT ABN AMRO Open 2026 must face a harsh reality. Two big stars of tennis, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz, have been confirmed to drop out of the ATP 500 competition in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on February 9-16.

Zverev becomes the latest name to withdraw. The German tennis player revealed that the decision was made to protect his long-term health.

Zverev, who has a long history of severe ankle injuries, has chosen to take a cautious approach in planning his tournament schedule this year.

"Very disappointing to have to take this decision. At ABN AMRO Open, I was given the opportunity to be a young player, and that's why I've always enjoyed going back," said Zverev, as quoted from the official ATP website, Thursday (5/2).

The 28-year-old tennis player emphasized that his top priority now is a full recovery.

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Tournament director ABN AMRO Open, Richard Krajicek, feels sympathy for Zverev's decision, though he says that the absence of such a big name will certainly reduce the attractiveness of the tournament. Krajicek added that he understands Zverev's concern, given his injury history. Krajicek believes every tennis enthusiast remembers the image and the impact of Zverev's ankle injury in the past. Krajicek added that the tournament will go on.

This comes after Carlos Alcaraz, the defending Roland Garros champion, announced that he would not defend his title, opting to protect his long-term health as well. Alcaraz suffered an ankle injury late last year. He stated that he did not feel ready to take the risk of aggravating the injury and potentially making it worse

Zverev started his 2026 season impressively, winning the United Cup and reaching the Australian Open semi-finals. He, however, lost to Carlos Alcaraz in a closely contested five-set match. According to the data, Zverev now holds a 6-2 record against the Spanish tennis star

Despite the withdrawal of two key players, ABN AMRO Open still promises a fierce competition. A number of top-10 tennis players have committed to the tournament, including Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and the explosive Alexander Bublik.

In a separate match, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and their teammates are on the same path, making them the current dominant pair on the tennis courts around the world. Their recent success has made their fans go gaga about them