Carlos Alcaraz has officially pulled out of the Madrid Masters for the first time in his career, prioritizing recovery as he sets his sights on defending his Roland Garros title. Despite being a two-time champion in Madrid, the Spanish tennis star made the tough call after suffering dual injuries during a grueling clay-court schedule.
Alcaraz initially injured the adductor muscle in his right leg during the Barcelona Open final against Holger Rune. He also experienced discomfort in his left hamstring, prompting an MRI and other medical tests. The 21-year-old rising star ultimately chose to skip the Madrid Masters, a decision made to prevent further complications ahead of the season’s second Grand Slam.
“I’m having another test on Monday to see how things have progressed in a week,” Alcaraz shared. “Based on that, we’ll evaluate what we can expect in the next couple of days or weeks. I’m confident about my recovery for Roland Garros, but I will also try to compete in Rome.”
Alcaraz’s clay-court swing started strong with a title win at the Monte Carlo Masters, defeating Lorenzo Musetti. He rolled into Barcelona with momentum, winning four matches to reach the final. But the tight turnaround—ten matches in just 12 days—proved too much. He lost to Rune in straight sets, noticeably struggling with movement and pain in his leg during the second set.
Last season, Alcaraz also dealt with physical issues during this period, competing in Madrid with a forearm injury, falling to Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals, and later missing Rome. The lingering effects were felt during his Roland Garros campaign, an experience he’s determined not to repeat.
“I always do everything possible to compete in Madrid and feel the energy from the crowd. It sucks not to be there this year, but I’ve learned from last season,” Alcaraz said. “This time, I’m less worried. I’ll try to recover as quickly as possible.”
With confidence in his recovery path, Carlos Alcaraz remains focused on returning to full strength and delivering another electric performance on the red clay of Paris.