Carlos Alcaraz Gives Devastating Update On Upcoming Event
Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed his withdrawal from the upcoming ATP Madrid Open, the second Masters 1000 event on clay. The Spaniard had started the clay court season in a rich vein of form, winning the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters and reaching the final of the Barcelona Open. However, the withdrawal from the Madrid Open couldn’t have a worse time than this.
Alcaraz is a two-time champion at the Madrid Open, winning titles in 2022 and 2023. However, an elbow injury hampered his clay court swing last year, and Madrid proved to be one of the casualties. An injury sustained in the Barcelona Open final also meant that he’s not going to come back to the Spanish capital in pursuit of a third title.
What Has Alcaraz Said?
Alcaraz was on the entry list for the Madrid Open. The Spaniard was scheduled to play Canada’s Gabriel Diallo in the opening round of the tournament. However, the former World No.1 pulled the plug at the last minute.
“I couldn’t practice the entire week and found out I had hamstring and groin injuries. I needed to listen to my body and make the right decision. On Monday, I’ll have more medical tests, and after that, we will have a better idea of how long I’ll be out. It hurts me not to be able to play here in Madrid in front of my people, my friends, and my family.” Carlos Alcaraz said in his pre-tournament press conference.
“I expect to go back to court and start practicing in a couple of weeks. Rome is still a possibility, but for sure I’ll be in Paris. It’s not an easy decision because Madrid is the first tournament I have ever been to as a young kid, it’s the most special place for me to play. But (prioritizing Roland Garros) was a big part of my decision to stop and recover properly.” Alcaraz added.
Alcaraz’s physical condition
After the final against Holger Rune in Barcelona, Alcaraz was expected to do an MRI on his groin. In the Laureus Sports ceremony, the Spaniard confirmed the MRI but was confident he would be fit for Madrid. However, the scan wasn’t to his team’s liking, and now he will sit out of one of his favorite events.
What Now For Roland Garros?
Alcaraz is still one of the favorites at Roland Garros. He is the defending champion. Last season, he came into the French Open hampered by an elbow injury. After a few early wins, the Spaniard put together a commanding run and beat Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev in five sets to win his first Roland Garros title.
Now, he is coming into Roland Garros with another injury problem. The good news is that he still has the Rome Masters to put things right. He has one Masters 1000 title in the bag for the season, which will give him comfort and a boost. However, his injury problems seem to be recurring. Many have criticized Alcaraz for playing Barcelona, which resulted in him playing 10 matches in 12 days. Alcaraz has never hidden his opinion on the ATP’s poor scheduling.
His Roland Garros seeding will depend on Zverev’s performances in Madrid and Rome. If Alcaraz becomes the No.3 seed, he can play Sinner in the semifinals like last year. However, he won’t mind that, considering the 21-year-old Spaniard has beaten his great rival in all the times they have played in 2024. Their Roland Garros semifinal last year is considered the best match of the 2024 season.
Final Thoughts
The Madrid Open has suffered a major setback with Alcaraz’s withdrawal. Apart from being a good player, he attracts a worldwide following because of his demanding style of play. On the other hand, it is a huge blow to the Spaniard’s preparations for Roland Garros. However, he hopes to keep things in check until the Rome Masters pops up.
