Carlos Alcaraz hopes the injury he sustained in Barcelona Open final “won’t prevent” him from playing in Madrid
Carlos Alcaraz succumbed to a disappointing defeat against Holger Rune at the Barcelona Open and sustained an injury during the match.
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Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/We Are Tennis)
Carlos Alcaraz‘s hopes of playing in the Madrid Open now hang in the balance after he suffered an injury on Sunday (April 20). The 21-year-old has played for two weeks non-stop on Tour and physical problems set in during the Barcelona Open final against Holger Rune.
Alcaraz had hoped to claim his third title of the season in Catalonia after excellently winning the Monte Carlo Masters. He had won eight consecutive matches en route to the final of the Barcelona Open final. Against Rune, he started the match in dominant form and broke serve early, but the Danish produced an impressive comeback.
Rune snapped his 13-match losing streak against Top 5 opponents by beating Alcaraz 7-6(6), 6-2 to win his first ATP 500 title. Nonetheless, the question after the match was focused on the injury that Alcaraz sustained in the second set. The World No.3 revealed that he felt discomfort in his right abductor, which suggests a groin problem.
Alcaraz, who has been in great form since the Monte Carlo tournament, now looks to be sidelined for a while, depending on what the injury really turns out to be. He admitted during his post game press conference that he hopes it doesn’t stop him from playing at the Madrid Open, which begins on Monday (April 21).
In the second set, I started to feel discomfort in the right adductor, especially after a few long and intense rallies. When you feel even a little pain, the alarm goes off and it becomes difficult to concentrate on the game. You start to worry about your physical condition, about your health. It took me a while to maintain the level I needed. Now I will have two days off, which I would have done anyway. I will talk to my medical team, we will do some tests, but I am sure that this will not prevent me from being in Madrid.
Carlos Alcaraz said via Barcelona Open Press
Last year, Alcaraz played with a right arm injury at the Madrid Open, which made him fail to defend his title. However, he played four matches at the event and reached the quarter-finals before losing to Andrey Rublev in three sets.
Carlos Alcaraz to undergo an MRI scan for the injury he sustained in Barcelona
Alcaraz will have a scan on his back on Monday (April 21), with the result set to decide whether he will play at the Madrid Open. A report from Spanish outlet MARCA suggests that an MRI will determine the extent of the injury or whether he will have to take the necessary caution ahead of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
However, from what Alcaraz revealed in the aforementioned press conference, the injury seems to be in the area of his psoas. The psoas muscle is a long thick muscle located in the lower back, specifically on either side of the spine. It is the muscle that connects the spine to the hip and thigh bone.
The psoas muscle’s function is to flex the hip, allowing an athlete to move the leg forward, and plays a vital role in spinal stabilization and posture. The psoas muscle has always been treated with caution, especially for a tennis player who moves a lot in the baseline of the court.
Carlos Alcaraz focused on sticking to the court despite pressure
Alcaraz’s disappointing loss against Holger Rune wouldn’t define the season, but it’s a wake up call that players are hungry for titles. Rune had struggled for over two years on tour but produced a statement win against the Spaniard. However, Alcaraz is focused on enjoying his time on the court than making the loss add pressure on him.
I want to follow the path that I’ve defined for myself, and that’s not winning or losing, but leaving the court happy, having enjoyed myself, including despite the physical problems that no one wants to have. Playing in Barcelona, in front of my people, friends and family, that’s what I have to appreciate, enjoy, leave the court proud of what I’ve done and with my head held high. That’s what I’m going to stick to. The moment has come when being a favorite or not is not my business.
Carlos Alcaraz said
Alcaraz’s defeat means he dropped back to the World No.3 after Alexander Zverev celebrated his birthday by winning the BMW Open in Munich. Zverev now uses just 35 points to top Alcaraz in the ATP rankings.
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