Carlos Alcaraz’s big warning, Emma Raducanu fears and Arthur Fils magic lights up Barcelona

Kevin Palmer 19 Apr 2026 9:15 PM

Arthur Fils, Emma Raducanu, Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz

It was a hectic Sunday of action around the tennis world, with Elena Rybakina’s big win at the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart and Arthur Fils big victory at the Barcelona Open capturing the headlines.

There was also an impressive win for Ben Shelton in the ATP 500 tournament in Munich and we also had some big Tennis365 exclusives to roll out.

Here’s your round-up of the latest action:

Carlos Alcaraz gets a big warning

Carlos Alcaraz is facing a race against time to be fit for the French Open after his latest injury nightmare and former top 20 player Benoit Paire has told Tennis365 that the Spaniard needs to consider cutting down on his exhibition matches to ensure he avoids injuries.

“Winning money is important,” declares Paire, in an exclusive interview with Tennis365 and the Roland Garros e-series. “When I finish my career, I need to have money, so for me, the calendar in tennis is good.

“For me, when you hear players saying the calendar is too long, it’s because they play a lot of exhibitions. If they want to stop, they can stop and not play any exhibitions. That’s what I think.

“They play exhibitions because they want to win more money. It’s not because the calendar is too long. That’s why I am sad when they cut some of the ATP 250 tournaments because it is important for the young players to play.”

Jamie Murray on Alcaraz and Sinner vs the ‘Big 4’

Jamie Murray is a guest on Monday’s edition of the Off Court with Greg Rusedski podcast and he has given his verdict on whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are a step ahead of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and his brother Andy Murray,

“I would never say who is better or not, but until those guys [Alcaraz and Sinner] get up to 18, 19, 20 Grand Slams, it’s tough to say that those other guys [Big 4] weren’t the greatest,” said Murray on the latest edition of the Off Court with Greg Rusedski podcast, that will be released on Monday.

“They’ve got the numbers to back it up. Is there a good chance they’ll catch them? Right now you have to say it is, but know, Alcaraz has seven right now.

“So he’s still 17 away from Novak. People think, oh yeah, but he can win three a year for the next, you know, five years. But that’s not easy to do that!”

Title wins for Rybakina, Fils and Shelton

It was a huge Sunday of success for three big contenders at the top of the men’s and women’s game.

Elena Rybakina won the WTA 500 title in Stuttgart, Arthur Fils reigned supreme in the Barcelona Open and Ben Shelton won his first clay court title in Europe in Munich.

What next for Emma Raducanu?

The withdrawal list at the Madrid Open is growing, with British No 1 Emma Raducanu the latest big name to pull out of the event in the Spanish capital.

Raducanu is still struggling with a viral infection that has troubled her for several months and there is no club when she will return.