Carlos Alcaraz issues worrying update about his forearm ahead of Madrid Open

Carlos Alcaraz has just over a week to get ready for his Madrid Open, but as things stand he is still touch and go for his title defence.

The world No 3 has not featured on the ATP Tour since he lost in the quarter-final of the Miami Open three weeks ago.

He was initially expected to play at the Monte Carlo Masters last week, but withdrew on the eve of his opening match due to a forearm problem and then set the Barcelona Open as his comeback event.

On Sunday he also pulled out of the ATP 500 event in the Spanish city as he was still in discomfort, although he had been given the all-clear after undergoing tests.

During a press conference in Barcelona, Alcaraz gave a bit more detail about his current woes.

😟”I still don’t have those good feelings,” admitted Carlos Alcaraz. #Tennis #CarlosAlcaraz #MutuaMadridOpen https://t.co/j72Ag1OIUQ

— Tennis365 (@tennis365com) April 16, 2024

“It all started in Monte Carlo, in the first training session,” he revealed. “After an hour I felt quite significant discomfort in my forearm, something that I thought would not be a big deal, but together with my team we treated it as best as possible, doing the necessary tests to see what I had there. The idea was to play Monte Carlo, but I couldn’t because the deadlines were not met.

“I returned home to see if with recovery, patience and days of rest I could get to Barcelona as well as possible. On Saturday morning I took a test, from which some quite positive images came out, something that gave me hope to play this tournament, but for us the litmus test was Sunday.

“It was the first day I hit with my forehand since that day in Monte Carlo… and it wasn’t as we expected. Again I noticed the same thing, every time I increased the intensity of the right I saw that he noticed more and more discomfort.

“It has been a difficult decision, this tournament is very important for me, very special, making the decision not to come was very complicated for both me and my family, and also for my team. The images we have are positive, but my feeling is not correct, but this is what there is right now. Now I will put all my concentration on the recovery, since I will have a little more margin.”

Next up is the Madrid Open, which gets underway on April 22, but the two-time defending champion admits his participation remains up in the air.

The 20-year-old added: “My goal is to go to the Madrid Open, but at the moment I am not clear at all. They gave me some deadlines, which I have met well, but I still don’t have those good feelings.

“I don’t want to rush, I don’t want to say that I will be 100% in Madrid, although that is my intention. We are going to train, we are going to do everything in our power to make those sensations better and the right ones to play a tennis match at 100%.”