Carlos Alcaraz makes worrying injury confession as he reveals Rome Masters plan
Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he has yet to decide whether he will play at the Rome Masters, after offering up a worrying update on his forearm injury.
Alcaraz arrived in Madrid last week with big doubts over his fitness after he was forced to pull out of tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona due to an injury that affects his ability to hit his forehand.
He navigated his way past two challenging matches and appeared to be winning his fitness battle, but Alcaraz’s quest for a third successive Madrid Open title was ended by a shock quarter-final defeat to Andrey Rublev.
The reigning Wimbledon champion was on course to extend his winning streak at the tournament to a record-breaking 15 matches after clinching the opening set.
Yet Russian Rublev hit back in stunning fashion to register one of the greatest victories of his career, progressing 4-6 6-3 6-2 in just over two hours.
Asked about the most pleasing aspect of his performance, the 26-year-old told Sky Sports: “That I was able to stay calm all the match. I don’t know how – even me, I’m surprised.”
Rublev’s joy was contrasted by Alcaraz’s concern, as he admitted his arm problem affected him in the final stages of his defeat against Rublev.
“Well, yeah, today probably I felt more in the forearm than yesterday’s match,” admitted Alcaraz.
“I mean, playing three hours yesterday, I knew that I’m gonna feel something or I’m gonna think about it even more.
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz needs to make a huge decision after shock Madrid Open defeat
“You know, playing someone like Rublev that I couldn’t push to the limit in every point is tough. But yeah, the end of the match, I sliced the forehand a bit more.
“Well, it was difficult feelings, let’s say, at the end of the match. The point is that I’m gonna go to Rome. I’m going to work these days to be close to 100% or in a good way to play in Rome, but I’m gonna decide in the next coming days, but I think I’ll be okay to play Rome.”
They were comments that suggested Alcaraz is travelling to Rome in hope as much as in expectation of playing, with his big focus on the French Open needing to be his priority over the next few weeks.
“I have to keep going,” he added. “Right now here in Madrid, while every time that I’m hitting the forehand, I’m thinking about the forearm, if I’m getting a feeling or not.
“I have to work hard these days if I want to go to Rome with good feelings, without pain, without thinking about my forearm, but it’s gonna be a slow process, I guess.”
The injury Alcaraz is nursing is one of the more difficult for a tennis player to manage and after his great rival Jannik Sinner opted to pull out of the Madrid Open with the hip injury that has been troubling him all week, don’t be surprised to see Alcaraz announcing his decision to withdraw from the Rome Masters that get underway on May 8.
