The world No. 3 was expected to return in Barcelona, but he hasn’t recovered from his injury and doesn’t know when he will play again.
Carlos Alcaraz was expected to keep doing big things this season but injuries are preventing him from achieving his goals.
The 20-year-old star was the favorite to win in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro earlier this year but he was defeated by Nicolas Jarry in the semifinals of the Argentina Open and had to withdraw in Brazil after getting injured while playing the first exchanges in the event.
He managed to recover and play Indian Wells and the Miami Open, defending his title successfully at Tennis Paradise and making it to the quarterfinals in the second Masters 1000 event of the campaign.
Carlos Alcaraz was one of the main candidates for the title at the Monte Carlo Masters, but the Murcia native had to withdraw from the prestigious event after confirming his bad sensations while preparing for the tournament. The two-time major champion had a forearm injury that didn’t allow him to hit his drive, which kept him away from competing.
After winning in Barcelona in Madrid last year, he had plenty of points to defend, but his race in the ATP rankings to try to chase Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic is getting more difficult than he expected, as he isn’t ready to play again and won’t play at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.
With the French Open edging closer, there are many doubts surrounding Alcaraz. He plans to be ready to feature in the Madrid Open, but he’s not sure he can be healthy to play in the Spanish capital.
“I can’t say I’ll be 100 percent in Madrid, but that’s my intention. We’ll train and do everything we can so that the feelings improve so I can play a tennis match. Hopefully, I can enjoy the fans in Madrid and play at home. It’s also a very special tournament for me”, he said.
French media believe injuries are wearing Alcaraz down
The French Open is one of the biggest tournaments on the calendar and for Alcaraz, it’s a priority, as he hasn’t still won it and he’s probably very motivated to play in Paris again after being beaten by Djokovic last year after Carlitos got injured during the semifinals game.
While it’s uncertain if he could eventually beat the likes of Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Holger Rune or Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros, there seems to be a bigger worry in France surrounding Alcaraz.
The prestigious sports newspaper L’Equipe talked about how injuries can dictate Alcaraz’s future and the impact they may have on his game, as it happens to all elite athletes who have to overcome physical issues to get back to their best.
“Carlos Alcaraz, a 20-year-old player whose body is already very worn out by injuries”, a report on Alcaraz said, which exposes all the injuries he has suffered as a professional.
If he couldn’t play in Madrid either, he would still have the chance to test himself and get some competition rhythm in Rome, the last Masters 1000 event before the French Open.
