Injured Carlos Alcaraz Opts Out To Focus on French Open
Injured Carlos Alcaraz has delivered a huge blow to tennis fans by pulling out of the ongoing Madrid Open. The 21-year-old Spanish ace has chosen to withdraw from this tournament in order to remain fit for the upcoming French Open. Alcaraz is the defending champion at Roland Garros. He is eyeing to remain at 100% fitness in his first title defence in France.
How did the injury occur?
Carlos Alcaraz played in the Barcelona Open final last weekend. He went up against Holger Rune, who eventually won the match in two straight sets against the home favourite. According to the Spaniard, he injured his hamstring and groin in the final against Rune.
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Alcaraz said, “In the Barcelona final, I felt something in the left hamstring, I didn’t think that it was that serious. In a week or two,o I shall return to training, but I will take it step by step. I couldn’t practice the entire week. I needed to listen to my body and make the right decision. And I don’t want to go too far ahead, and I hope I shall be ready for the French Open.”
He added, “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.”
Injured Carlos Alcaraz Eyes Rome Comeback Ahead of Roland Garros
The youngster is preparing to get fit for the Rome Masters, an event scheduled ahead of the French Open. He said, “I plan to go to Rome. My mindset is to do everything it takes to be 100 per cent for Rome. I hope to play in Rome. If not, the next tournament is Roland Garros for me. So, I’ll try to be on the court as soon as possible.”
After a few struggles at the start of the year, Alcaraz returned to form by winning in Monte Carlo and Rotterdam. His record this season is 24-5.
Alcaraz’s record in Madrid
Carlos Alcaraz is one of the best modern-day players on the clay surface. His first Roland Garros in 2024 was a clear indication of how far this youngster can go in the game. Alcaraz was playing like a mature guy and gave glimpses of his fellow countryman, Rafael Nadal. Injured Carlos Alcaraz has delivered a huge blow to tennis fans by pulling out of the ongoing Madrid Open. The 21-year-old Spanish ace has chosen to withdraw from this tournament to remain fit for the upcoming French Open. Alcaraz is the defending champion at Roland Garros. He is eyeing to remain at 100% fitness in his first title defence in France.
The youngster played his first Madrid Open in 2021. He suffered a second-round defeat. He came back in 2022 and won the tournament at the age of 18. Alcaraz followed this win with another title in 2023. The youngster was knocked out in the quarter-final last year. His record in the Madrid Open stands at 15-2.
Carlos Alcaraz’s injury has opened the doors for other players to win this tournament. The likes of Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and a few others are looking to build momentum for the French Open. Alcaraz’s injury looks like a bit of concern, and he won’t hurry his recovery. Only time will tell how he recovers and when he will make a return to the court.
