Carlos Alcaraz gives health update ahead of his Rotterdam Open debut

Carlos Alcaraz has not won an ATP singles title since edging great rival Jannik Sinner in a three-set final at the China Open.

Carlos Alcaraz gives health update ahead of his Rotterdam Open debut

Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X)

Four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz has shared an update on his health ahead of his debut at the Rotterdam Open. The 21-year-old recently dealt with an illness that affected his preparation. He will face world No. 84 Botic van de Zandschulp in his first match on Tuesday (February 3).

Alcaraz suffered a surprise loss to van de Zandschulp at the 2024 US Open. Speaking before the Rotterdam tournament, he revealed that a cold disrupted his training. On Sunday, he was seen wearing a nasal strip during practice, showing he may still be recovering.

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I spent a few days at home after Australia, but I got a cold. I was struggling a little bit at home. I could only train for two days and then I had to rest until the cold got better. But spending time at home, it doesn’t matter if you are sick, it is always great, having your family there. It allows you to be fresh mentally, to travel again.

Carlos Alcaraz said in an interview (H/T: ATP Tour)

The four-time Grand Slam winner also wore a nasal strip during the 2024 ATP Finals in November. He had struggled with a cold in that tournament as well. This will be his first indoor event since then.

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Alcaraz is the top seed in Rotterdam, with Daniil Medvedev, the 2023 champion, seeded second. The Spaniard is aiming to win his first indoor hard-court title, as he has never reached a final on this surface.

Carlos Alcaraz’s draw for Rotterdam revealed

Carlos Alcaraz is set to make his debut at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. He will face Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round. The Dutch player defeated Alcaraz in straight sets at the US Open last year. With strong support from the home crowd, van de Zandschulp will be a tough opponent.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (via X)

If Alcaraz wins, he might face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round. The Canadian won the Adelaide ATP 250 title in January. He is also playing in the semi-finals in Montpellier. Auger-Aliassime will begin his campaign in Rotterdam against a qualifier.

Holger Rune is another strong contender in Alcaraz’s section. The Dane, seeded fifth, could be a quarter-final opponent for the Spaniard. If Alcaraz reaches the semi-finals, he may face 2021 champion Andrey Rublev. He holds a 2-1 record against both Rune and Rublev.

Rune will play Lorenzo Sonego, who made the Australian Open quarter-finals. Rublev starts against Zhizhen Zhang. If Rublev advances, he could meet Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals. The Polish eighth seed will play Flavio Cobolli in his opening match.