A medical issue ends his run early
Carlos Alcaraz’s ATP 500 campaign in Barcelona is over before it really got going. The reason for the withdrawal is a joint injury in his right wrist. The call comes after he battled through a first-round win over Otto Virtanen.
The cancellation of his scheduled morning practice was the first warning sign. The 22-year-old gave an update on his condition in a media appearance. The joint problem flared up suddenly during his opening match. The pain was severe enough to bring the medical staff onto the court. Alcaraz says the diagnosis is worse than the early checks suggested. Pulling out is the safest move.
Immediate damage in the ATP rankings
The fallout is simple enough: Alcaraz loses every point he earned from reaching last year’s final, when he was beaten by Denmark’s Holger Rune.
The withdrawal also freezes the race at the top of the world rankings. He had already slipped behind Italy’s Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo Masters, and this week he has no way back. With the top-ranked Italian not playing in Catalonia, the Spaniard had a clean mathematical chance to reclaim the spot.
A spring schedule now in doubt
This latest setback brings a fresh round of medical checks and a rethink of his schedule. Everything now depends on the scan results. Time is tight. Roland Garros starts in just over four weeks.
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