Carlos Alcaraz has quickly bounced back from his loss in the Monte Carlo Masters final.
On Sunday, the Spaniard was defeated 6-7, 3-6 by Jannik Sinner – who also reclaimed the world number one spot from Alcaraz.
Alcaraz has since travelled west to Barcelona, looking to win his third title in the city.
Should Carlos Alcaraz hire another coach after his recent results?
If so, who should he hire? 🤔
Alcaraz began his Barcelona campaign by defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2, and he will face Czech player Tomas Machac in the next round.
At 5-4 in the first set, Alcaraz called the physio onto court and his right wrist was eventually taped up.
Alcaraz has since provided tennis fans with an update regarding his physical condition.
Carlos Alcaraz’s fitness update
“Well, to be honest, it’s been tough, it’s been a bit of a struggle,” Alcaraz admitted during his post-match press conference in Barcelona.
“In the end, my first contact with Barcelona was this morning, for about an hour, and then I had to jump right onto the court to compete, and the conditions are completely different.
“It was a little difficult, especially at the beginning, to get into a good rhythm, a good rhythm, but little by little I think we started feeling better, adapting more and more to the conditions in Barcelona and ending up playing at a good level.
“It’s just discomfort, discomfort that pops up, considering the few days I’ve had to recover, when everything has been practically back-to-back, so in the end things come up in some unusual movements.
“We’ve tried to calm ourselves down, try to keep going, and above all, be more relaxed, especially in the second set, and see what happens. Now the physio will see me, we’ll talk with the team, and we’ll see.
What do you think is Carlos Alcaraz’s best surface and why?
“It’s a discomfort I’ve had before, which has never led to anything more serious, so let’s hope it’s the same this time.”
Alcaraz faces Tomas Machac in the next round. Machac, the world number 47, recently pushed Jannik Sinner to three sets at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Alcaraz beat Machac in their first meeting in the 2024 Davis Cup. The Spaniard defeated Machac after the Czech star retired at 7-6, 1-6.
Later that year, Machac avenged his defeat, beating the Spaniard 7-6, 7-5 at the Shanghai Masters.
Alcaraz vs Machac on the ATP Tour
- 2024 Davis Cup: Alcaraz beats Machac 6-7, 6-1 [RET]
- 2024 Shanghai Masters: Machac beats Alcaraz 7-6, 7-5
How did Carlos Alcaraz perform against Otto Virtanen?
Alcaraz performed admirably, converting four of his seven break-point opportunities and winning 70 per cent of all points on Virtanen’s second serve.
The Spaniard also struck 11 winners during the contest and won 64 per cent of his first-serve points.
However, Alcaraz will want to improve upon this performance: he did not play at his best level.
| Statistical Area | Carlos Alcaraz | Otto Virtanen |
| Aces | 0 | 0 |
| Double faults | 3 | 3 |
| First-serve percentage | 67 | 58 |
| First-serve points won | 64 | 66 |
| Second-serve points won | 55 | 30 |
| Winners | 11 | 11 |
| Unforced errors | 32 | 33 |
Virtanen engineered six break-point opportunities on Alcaraz’s serve – one of which he converted.
Alcaraz also struck 32 unforced errors during the contest – a high number for a player of Alcaraz’s quality.
Alcaraz will certainly need to perform at a higher level against Tomas Machac, or risk exiting the Barcelona Open early.
