Underconfident Carlos Alcaraz refuses the favorite tag in Barcelona despite Rafael Nadal’s absence

Carlos Alcaraz is drawn as the No. 1 seed in the Barcelona Open 2023.

Underconfident Carlos Alcaraz refuses the favorite tag in Barcelona despite Rafael Nadal’s absence

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz (Image Credit: FirstSportz)

Carlos Alcaraz is ready to face the competition at the Barcelona Open. The defending champion has also been drawn into a lenient pool where he would not be playing against the top guns till he progresses into the later stages of the tournament.

The level of competition at this ATP 500 event will be less as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Daniil Medvedev are absent from the draw. Nadal is trying to recover from a nasty injury that cost him the Australian Open and forced him to sit out for the Sunshine Doubles. Daniil Medvedev meanwhile, has taken an unexpected break as he was continuously traveling and playing in tournaments across the globe.

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Hence, naturally, Carlos Alcaraz is elevated to be the favorite contender to win this title. However, when Carlos Alcaraz in a press interaction on the sidelines of the Barcelona Open 2023, was asked about his chances given the fact that two top seeds are not playing this tournament, he refused to consider himself a hot-favorite in this tournament.

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“They were contenders for the title, but I don’t feel more of a favorite because they’re not there. Any player on the board can beat me,” the current World No.2 said.

He also wished for a speedy recovery for Rafael Nadal. “I always want to see the best players on the court in every tournament. It’s a shame not to be able to appreciate Rafa’s tennis with all he has achieved, I wish him a speedy recovery,” he continued.

The current World No.1 Novak Djokovic is also not playing in the Barcelona Open this season.

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Can Carlos Alcaraz win the Barcelona Open?

Carlos Alcaraz (Image Credit: Nemzeti Sport)
Carlos Alcaraz (Image Credit: Nemzeti Sport)

The current World No.2 will enter this tournament as the defending champion. The absence of Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune, and Rafael Nadal from the Barcelona Open 2023 will definitely make his path to title triumph easier. However, the competition still has plenty of big names which can create difficulties for Carlos Alcaraz.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud are the two top seeds and challengers who can threaten Alcaraz’s run. However, the biggest threat he has is against Jannik Sinner. The Italian has been the cause of trouble for the Spaniard in the Sunshine Double. Carlos Alcaraz somehow managed to beat Jannik Sinner in the semi-final round of the Indian Wells Open and lost against him in the semi-final round of the Miami Open.

Also, he is constantly toggling with injury concerns. He missed many tournaments at the start of the season because of injuries. He also missed out on the opportunity to play in the Monte-Carlo Masters. Hence, he needs to give special attention to his health and fitness.

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