Carlos Alcaraz’s chances of reclaiming the world No.1 ranking are slim to none after he was forced to withdraw from the Barcelona Open due to a wrist injury.
The tournament had been a key opportunity for him to dethrone Jannik Sinner and regain the top spot, as Sinner was crowned Monte-Carlo Masters champion on Sunday, April 1.
On April 14, 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz pushed through wrist pain to defeat Otto Virtanen in straight sets, 6–4, 6–2, to reach the second round. He was scheduled to face Tomas Machac next, but after undergoing medical tests, he was advised to withdraw to avoid worsening the injury and causing further damage to his wrist.
Briefing the media about the outcome, Alcaraz said, “I felt my wrist give out on a return during the match. After the tests, we saw that it’s a more serious injury than any of us expected, and I have to listen to my body so it doesn’t affect me in the future.
“I have to go home to start my recovery as soon as possible with my team – the doctors, and the physical therapist – and get, or try to get, as healthy as possible as soon as possible for the tournaments I have coming up.
Carlos Alcaraz is now in a race against time to regain full fitness ahead of the Madrid Open (April 23–May 4) and the Rome Masters (May 7–May 18), as he prepares to defend his title at the French Open, which begins in Paris on May 24.
