Carlos Alcaraz, a top Spanish tennis player, has withdrawn from the Madrid Open. He is still healing from a leg injury that affected him during the final of the Barcelona Open last weekend. In addition to the earlier injury, he also has pain in his left leg. He was supposed to play his first match in Madrid on Saturday.
A Two-Time Madrid Open Champion
Carlos Alcaraz is a fan favorite in Madrid and has already won the tournament twice — in 2022 and 2023. This year, he was the second seed and expected to compete in the same part of the draw as Novak Djokovic.
Injury Trouble During the Barcelona Final
During the Barcelona Open final, Alcaraz lost in straight sets to Holger Rune. He needed medical help for his leg during the match. He hadn’t practiced yet in Madrid and said earlier in the week that he was feeling “fine,” but was waiting for medical test results before deciding if he could play.
Busy Schedule Taking a Toll
Alcaraz, who will turn 22 on May 5, had a great start to his clay season by winning in Monte Carlo. Before his loss in Barcelona, he was on a nine-match winning streak. He also said that playing too many matches with very little rest has affected him physically.
Looking Ahead to the French Open
Alcaraz believes these injuries won’t be a big problem for the French Open next month. He is the defending champion there. He won last year’s final at Roland Garros by beating Alexander Zverev. Zverev recently moved ahead of Alcaraz to become the No. 2 player in the world after his win in Munich.
Strong Performance in 2024 So Far
Alcaraz has a strong record this year with 24 wins and 5 losses. Along with his Monte Carlo victory, he also won the tournament in Rotterdam on a hard court back in February.
