Carlos Alcaraz's injury woes continue to mount, with the Spanish tennis sensation now facing the very real possibility of missing yet another major event this year. The world number one has been sidelined since early April after suffering a wrist injury during training—a setback that has already forced him to withdraw from three of the biggest tournaments on the clay-court calendar: the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, and the French Open.

Now, all eyes are on Wimbledon, but before the grass-court Grand Slam even comes into view, there's growing concern over whether Alcaraz will be fit for Spain's Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia in July. And the prognosis, according to those who know him best, is not encouraging.

Former coach Riccardo Piatti recently shared a sobering timeline with Corriere della Sera: "He hasn't played since early April and returning at his level will take at least six to eight weeks." That timeline puts his return dangerously close to—or even past—the Davis Cup tie, leaving Spanish tennis fans on edge.

This is especially tough for Alcaraz, who completed his Career Grand Slam earlier this year with a stunning victory at the Australian Open. When asked which titles still drive him, the 21-year-old mentioned the Davis Cup among his top priorities. But that dream is now hanging by a thread.

Horacio de la Peña, a former world number 31, doesn't mince words about Spain's chances. "I see it as a very interesting match-up. I think that, given the dates and his injury, Alcaraz will not be able to play," he told Clay. "Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will find it very difficult as the top player. Two young players with enormous potential have emerged—Rafael Jódar and Martín Landaluce—and the rest of the Spanish players are at a similar level to the Chileans."

De la Peña also highlighted the challenge of playing Chile on their home soil. "Chile will need to make the most of home advantage. It is genuinely very difficult for any team to come and compete in Chile expecting to take the win." When pressed on who he favors for this year's title, he backed Chile, citing their home-court edge.

Roberto Bautista Agut has echoed similar sentiments, suggesting Alcaraz will sit out the tie. Last year, a hamstring injury kept the young star out of the Davis Cup Finals entirely, and according to De la Peña, Spain might not even make it that far this time around.

The Davis Cup itself has been a topic of heated debate since its controversial format change in 2019, which replaced many of the beloved home-and-away fixtures with a centralized, week-long event. While the revamp has brought some excitement, it's also stripped away much of the competition's traditional charm—and for players like Alcaraz, the packed calendar only adds to the physical toll.

For now, tennis fans will have to wait and see whether the young Spaniard can recover in time to chase the one title that still eludes him. But with each passing week, the road back gets a little longer.