Alcaraz withdrawal, Federer-Nadal ‘fight’ revealed, Fernandez praises Eala – Tennis roundup
Whilst the week between the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open is often a quiet one, a few storylines have bucked that trend.
Most pressingly, Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the Barcelona Open sends shockwaves through the rest of the ATP tour.
Additionally, Leylah Fernandez had some kind words to say about Alexandra Eala after their first-round clash at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Here is our latest roundup of the biggest stories from the world of tennis.
Alcaraz waves goodbye to Barcelona
The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the Barcelona Open after experiencing wrist pain during his first-round match against Otto Virtanen.
Alcaraz was relatively upbeat after the match, reassuring the press that he had experienced similar issues before and effectively dealt with them.
However, at his withdrawal press conference, he admitted: “It is more serious injury than we all expected”.
As a result, he will drop his final points from 12 months prior and sits 390 points behind world No 1 Jannik Sinner.
READ: Carlos Alcaraz ‘has to listen to body’ as serious injury forces Barcelona Open withdrawal
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Federer and Nadal’s ‘fight’ revealed
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer enjoyed a very close relationship during their stellar careers, both on and off the court.
However, according to tennis expert Jon Wertheim, the pair had their ‘biggest fight’ over a proposed two-year rankings system.
The change was endorsed by the Spaniard, who experienced countless injuries, arguing that it would not unfairly punish players for sitting out of tournaments when recovering.
Meanwhile, Federer strongly disagreed and argued that it would make it difficult for players to break through in the rankings.
READ: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s ‘biggest fight’ finally disclosed by tennis expert
Fernandez heaps praise on Eala
Eala and Fernandez are two of the most talked-about young players on the WTA tour, having quickly climbed up the rankings.
The pair had their first on-court meeting in the first round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, with Fernandez prevailing 6-1, 6-4 in 1 hour and 29 minutes.
After the match, the victor revealed that she had drawn comparisons with the Filipina years prior, stating: “And I remember telling my coach at the time saying like, wow, she plays quick. So it was like a mirror because he said, look, it’s exactly like you.”
READ: What Leylah Fernandez had to say about Alex Eala after their Stuttgart match
Becker backs Djokovic to stay competitive
Boris Becker has backed Novak Djokovic to remain a major force on the ATP Tour, despite the recent dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner.
The German, who coached Djokovic during one of the most successful spells of his career, insisted the Serbian should never be overlooked – especially given his success at the Australian Open.
While praising the rise of the two highest-ranked ATP singles players, Becker stressed the importance of competition at the top of the men’s game and mentioned Alexander Zverev as a potential challenger, noting how close he came to beating Alcaraz in Melbourne.
Becker went on to compare the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry to his own battles with Ivan Lendl, describing their dynamic as ‘ice and fire.’
READ: Boris Becker issues ‘unique’ Novak Djokovic warning to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
