Carlos Alcaraz is hopeful to compete in this week’s Madrid Masters, despite some physical issues that flared up during his recent final at the Barcelona Open. The 21-year-old Spaniard faced Holger Rune in the championship match but was visibly hampered in the second set, ultimately falling 7-6, 6-2 and calling for a medical timeout.
The issue? Discomfort in his right abductor muscle — a strain that limited his movement and prevented him from performing at his usual high level. Alcaraz had packed ten matches into just 12 days between Monte Carlo and Barcelona. While he claimed the Monte Carlo title, the back-to-back grind seemed to catch up with him.
After taking a couple of days off, Carlos returned to light work with his physiotherapist on Monday. He is scheduled for further medical tests on Tuesday to assess his condition, but early signs are encouraging.
“I’m honestly feeling fine. It’s nothing major,” Alcaraz said. “After competing two weeks straight, playing ten matches in 12 days and traveling, my body just gave me a small warning. I don’t think it’s serious. I’ve worked with my physio and felt some positive progress. I believe I’ll be ready for Madrid.”
The Barcelona final marked Alcaraz’s attempt at a third title in his home tournament, but Rune was relentless. The match started evenly, with Alcaraz taking the early lead with a break in the fifth game. Rune quickly broke back, capitalizing on Alcaraz’s forehand errors and pushing the set to a tiebreak.
In the breaker, Rune held his nerve, hitting crucial winners and finally sealing the set 7-6 on his fifth set point, after 53 minutes of intense tennis.
By the second set, Alcaraz’s energy dipped. He was broken in the fifth game and needed a medical timeout. Despite creating two break chances at 2-3, he failed to convert. Rune kept the pressure on, breaking again and serving out the match with a love hold, finishing with an Alcaraz forehand error.
Rune’s win marked his first ATP title in two years and his first ATP 500 title — a strong performance that saw him play more cleanly, especially from the baseline, and outmaneuver the World No. 2 with solid net play and fewer unforced errors.
Although Alcaraz had a tough end to his Barcelona run, his upbeat attitude and early treatment suggest he’ll be ready to compete again soon — especially with the Madrid Masters, another home tournament, right around the corner.