Carlos Alcaraz shares fitness update after injury concern at Barcelona Open
· Yahoo Sports
Carlos Alcaraz didn’t waste any time putting his Monte Carlo Masters final loss behind him.
On Sunday, he fell 6-7, 3-6 to Jannik Sinner, who also regained the world number one ranking from Alcaraz with that win.
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Since then, Alcaraz has headed west to Barcelona, aiming to secure his third title in the city.
Alcaraz started his Barcelona Open campaign with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Otto Virtanen and will next face Czech player Tomas Machac.
Alcaraz speaks about his fitness after wrist issue
Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty ImagesSpeaking at his press conference in Barcelona, Alcaraz opened up about how challenging things have been lately.
“Well, to be honest, it’s been tough, it’s been a bit of a struggle,” he said. “In the end, my first contact with Barcelona was this morning, for about an hour, and then I had to jump right onto the court to compete, and the conditions are completely different.
“It was a little difficult, especially at the beginning, to get into a good rhythm,” he continued. “But little by little I think we started feeling better. Adapting more and more to the conditions in Barcelona and ending up playing at a good level.”
“It’s just discomfort that pops up given how few days I’ve had to recover,” Alcaraz explained. “When everything has been practically back-to-back things come up in some unusual movements.
“We’ve tried to calm ourselves down and keep going. Above all be more relaxed – especially in the second set – and see what happens. Now the physio will see me and we’ll talk with the team.”
“It’s a discomfort I’ve had before which has never led to anything more serious so let’s hope it’s the same this time.”
Breaking down Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Otto Virtanen
Alcaraz made the most of his chances against Virtanen, converting four out of seven break points and taking 70 per cent of the points on the Finn’s second serve.
He also hit 11 winners and won 64 per cent of his first-serve points during the match. Still, he’ll be looking to raise his game in the next round, as this wasn’t quite his best showing.
Virtanen had six break-point chances himself, managing to convert one. Alcaraz also racked up 32 unforced errors – a number that stands out given his usual standards.
If he wants to avoid an early exit from the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz will need to sharpen up against Tomas Machac.
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