Carlos Alcaraz Faces Injury Setback Before Roland Garros
Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz had a massive injury setback before Roland Garros as he will undergo an MRI scan on his groin. This development came after the Barcelona Open final where he lost straight sets to Holger Rune. The former World No. 1 appeared to be back in the form that made him Roland Garros and Wimbledon last season. The injury and the final loss have created a dent in his Roland Garros preparations.
Alcaraz seems to adapt well on clay, winning his first Monte Carlo title last week. Moreover, he won his first Roland Garros title last season, winning in five sets against Alexander Zverev in the final. Moreover, he won the Olympic silver medal at the Paris Olympics. However, the chances of replicating that success could be problematic with the ongoing injury issue.
The Situation With Carlos Alcaraz’s Injury
Alcaraz saw his unbeaten start to the clay season end at the hands of Rune. During the match, Alcaraz was closely monitored by Ángel Ruiz Cotorro. According to MARCA, Alcaraz has a problem in the adductor muscle of his right leg. The Spaniard is set to undergo an MRI scan on April 27.
The MRI scan couldn’t have come at a worse time for Alcaraz as he is set to enter the Madrid Open, where he is a two-time champion. The Spaniard is looking for the best possible preparation for his Roland Garros title defense, but a huge problem is potentially hampering his clay season. The Spaniard had an elbow injury throughout the clay court season last year but recovered in time to win Roland Garros. Now, there are more injury problems for him in the clay season.
The Battle For World No.2 With Alexander Zverev
Alcaraz may have lost the Barcelona Open final, but the consequences of that loss were more than just his injury. The Spaniard has also lost his World No. 2 ranking, which he had regained just a week earlier after winning Monte Carlo. Alexander Zverev has taken advantage of Alcaraz’s slip-up as he won the Munich Open title, bringing him back to the No.2 ranking.
If both players participate in the Madrid Open, the ranking battle will continue as they have few points to defend. If Alcaraz decides to pull out of the tournament, Zverev is set to be the World No. 2 by the end of the tournament. However, things could change again following that as the German is the defending champion of the Rome Masters. Alcaraz and Zverev were the finalists of last year’s Roland Garros, where the Spaniard won in five sets to win his third Grand Slam title.
The Inconsistency
Alcaraz has won two ATP titles this season, including his sixth Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo. However, the Spaniard hasn’t been able to remove the inconsistencies from his system. Since he lost the Olympic Gold medal match last season to Novak Djokovic, the Spaniard’s form has fallen off a cliff.
Alcaraz lost in the second round of the US Open against Botic Van De Zandschulp, which is considered one of the greatest Grand Slam upsets in history. He could only win one ATP title since Wimbledon, the China Open title in a three-set final against Jannik Sinner. In 2025, he started the season poorly with a four-set loss in the Australian Open quarterfinal against Djokovic. Apart from Monte Carlo, Alcaraz’s other title was the Rotterdam Open.
Alcaraz’s fitness and results must improve, as he has titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon to defend. If he cannot defend those tournaments, he will likely leave the top 5 spots in the ATP rankings.
