The major disappointments of the grass court season before Wimbledon 2026

Pedro de Pablos | 22 Jun 2026 | 22.12

The big disappointments of the grass court season before Wimbledon 2026. Source: Getty Images.

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The grass court season is different from the others, both due to the surface conditions and its brevity. In just one month, several ATP 250 and ATP 500 tournaments are played with Wimbledon 2026 as the climax. Before the major event at the All England Club, there have already been several players who have disappointed with their performance compared to the expectations set for them.

The first notable name is Alexander Bublik, who on this tour is a shadow of what he was last year. In 2025, the Kazakh player claimed the title in Halle by defeating Jannik Sinner, but this season he was eliminated in his opening match by Mattia Bellucci. While he reached the semifinals in Stuttgart, more was expected from a player of his caliber, although his results reflect a forgettable few months. The good news is that he doesn't need to defend points at Wimbledon, so he can turn the situation around and re-enter the top 10.

Another player in the spotlight is Daniil Medvedev. The Russian player reached the semifinals in s'Hertogenbosch and the quarterfinals in Halle, but the issue lies not in the round where he was defeated but in the opponents he lost to. It was expected that Medvedev would step up in these tournaments, yet he ended up losing to Kamil Majchrzak and Daniel Altmaier, players who were considered inferior to him, raising doubts about his performance heading into the third major of the season.

Why do many players with higher rankings go unnoticed during the grass court season?

One peculiar aspect of this season is that many players prefer to compete only at Wimbledon, possibly adding one more preparatory tournament at most. For example, players who were in great form like Flavio Cobolli or Jakub Mensik were defeated in their debuts at Halle and Queen's after exceptional performances at Roland Garros.

The same applies to Joao Fonseca, who at least had the chance to reach the doubles final in Halle alongside Daniel Altmaier for more match practice. Alexander Zverev is no exception. Following his first Grand Slam victory, the German player only competed in his home country, reaching the semifinals and losing to Taylor Fritz, highlighting that grass remains his unaccomplished terrain. It's further evidence that many players are not drawn to the grass court, opting to lessen the risk of injuries by competing in fewer tournaments.

The big question mark surrounding Sinner and Djokovic

However, there are even more challenging cases such as that of Casper Ruud, who dislikes playing on grass and only participates at Wimbledon out of necessity. Rafa Jódar had worse luck, as an abdominal injury prevented him from completing his first full grass court season, missing two tournaments and heading cautiously into Wimbledon. The positive side is that he has no ranking points to defend, allowing him to focus on gaining points.

Yet, the big question revolves around Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, the top contenders for the title. The world number 1 has not played a match since his early exit at Roland Garros due to physical issues, and he now defends his title at the All England Club, adding uncertainty to both his physical and mental condition. Nole, on the other hand, hasn't competed since his third-round defeat in Paris against Joao Fonseca, aware that this may be one of his final chances to claim his 25th Grand Slam. Consequently, this Wimbledon is more wide open than ever, with many doubts surrounding the potential champion.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las grandes decepciones de la gira de hierba antes de Wimbledon 2026

ATP