Carlos Alcaraz’s wrist injury has caused a mass debate once again about the current ATP Tour schedule.
Alcaraz could miss several tournaments now and many believe the star made a mistake by playing the Barcelona Open.
For the second year running, Alcaraz has suffered an injury at the Barcelona Open that has forced him out of the Madrid Open.
With the star’s status for the rest of the clay court season up in the air, Alcaraz has received a staunch defence from Rick Macci.
Rick Macci defends Carlos Alcaraz after injury criticism
Alcaraz’s wrist injury is a major worry for the Spaniard, but Macci does not believe it was down to the amount of matches he has played in 2026.
Speaking on X, Serena Williams’ former coach said: “The Spanish Magician will be 100% and all the speculation about him playing too much and exhibitions is what caused the injury is an inexperienced overreaction.”
Should Carlos Alcaraz skip Roland Garros if he’s not 100% fit?
Macci believes it is, in fact, the opposite and Alcaraz was benefiting from the amount of matches played this season.
“Actually, if you do not play enough, you have a better chance of injury. Injuries are a part of sport. Carlos, his dad, and team know the way and what to play,” he said.
“Overplaying did not cause the injury. Looking in the rear view mirror and playing the would have, could have, should have card is silly. The Magician soon will get on track and never look back, and double-digit slams he will stack.”
It is currently unclear when Alcaraz will be back in action, but his next possible tournament is now the Italian Open.
What Carlos Alcaraz must do now is clear
It’s understandable why Alcaraz wants to stack his clay court schedule, as he has tasted vast amounts of success on the surface.
However, Alcaraz’s latest injury scare must be a lesson for the Spaniard that he must take into the 2027 season.
Should Carlos Alcaraz have skipped the Barcelona Open? Did he make a mistake by playing it?
The Barcelona Open is now no longer tenable for Alcaraz as it is currently not worth the ranking points it offers.
In fact, going forward ATP 500 tournaments should not be on Alcaraz’s radar at all across the entire season.
The risk versus reward is just not there for the Spaniard, and the Masters and Grand Slam calendar is stacked enough for Alcaraz.
