The wrist injury suffered by Carlos Alcaraz at the Barcelona Open is a major worry for his chances on the rest of the European clay court swing.
The Spaniard suffered the injury during his victory against Otto Virtanen and he was forced to give Tomas Machac a walkover in the next round.
Alcaraz has already withdrawn from the Madrid Open, which marks the second consecutive year he has not played the tournament.
Now, the world number two has been predicted to miss at least one more tournament by the Madrid Open tournament director.
Carlos Alcaraz told it’s ‘impossible’ to play the Italian Open
Alcaraz’s withdrawal at the Madrid Open has left the Masters event looking light in the male draw, particularly with the likes of Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic also following suit.
Tournament director Feliciano Lopez appeared on Radioestadio Noche and he shared concern for Alcaraz’s wrist injury.
Should Carlos Alcaraz have skipped the Barcelona Open? Did he make a mistake by playing it?
“I’ve had that injury myself. From what I’ve heard, it’s a very common injury in the world of tennis. I think his wrist tendon is a bit inflamed, I imagine, and I hope it’s not ruptured,” said Lopez.
“Now it’s time to recover because it’s not a muscle strain from overuse, since he arrived tired from Monte Carlo and something like this can happen to you. There are many small tendons in the wrist.
“I was out for about two months. I don’t know what his injury is like, the extent of it. I was out for two months, but of course, when I got it, I could barely hold the racket until a few days after the match ended.”
Lopez believes the injury could keep Alcaraz out for longer than just the Madrid Open, and it could even cause him to miss Roland Garros.
Should Carlos Alcaraz skip Roland Garros if he’s not 100% fit?
“In the end, what I wish for him is a speedy recovery because it’s an important season for him,” admitted Lopez.
“It’s true that Carlos wins on every court, but first comes Madrid, then Rome, another Masters 1000, and then Roland Garros, where he’s defending his title.
“There are 4,000 points at stake and the prestige of three major tournaments. Madrid is out, Rome seems almost impossible to me.”
Alcaraz was forced out of the Madrid Open last term, but he returned to win the Italian Open and Roland Garros back-to-back.
Carlos Alcaraz could see a ranking plummet if Feliciano Lopez is right
Alcaraz’s withdrawal at the Madrid Open was a disappointment for the Spaniard, but it will not have any ranking consequences.
However, if his wrist injury keeps him out for any longer, he could lose significant ground on Jannik Sinner at the top of the rankings.
Should Carlos Alcaraz hire another coach after his recent results?
If so, who should he hire? 🤔
Just 390 points separate Sinner and Alcaraz right now, although that could change rapidly if the Italian performs well at the Madrid Open.
If Alcaraz misses the Italian Open, he will lose 1000 ranking points as he lifted the trophy during the 2025 season.
That could force a major swing that could make it near-impossible for Alcaraz to claw back the world number one spot for the rest of the season.
With Sinner hitting top form, an extended period out for Alcaraz could be disastrous for his ATP Tour ranking.
