After missing Barcelona Open, Carlos Alcaraz unsure of title defence in Madrid

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is not certain about his participation in the Madrid Open, the second of the 3 Masters 1000 tournaments on clay, saying he is not feeling a hundred percent about his recovery from an arm injury. Alcaraz pulled out of the Barcelona Open, an ATP 500 tournament, where he won the title in 2022 and 2023, due to the injury. Madrid Open gets underway on April 24, but Alcaraz is not pushing himself too much, hoping to get fit and fresh for next month's French Open.

Carlos Alcaraz arrived in Monaco for the recently-concluded Monte Carlo Masters tournament earlier this month, but pulled out of it, citing a right arm injury that continues to trouble him, hampering his start to the clay season. Alcaraz was in fine form on the American hard courts as he defended his Indian Wells title before reaching the quarter-finals of the Miami Open.

"My feeling isn't right, but it is what it is. Now I'm fully focused on recovery and I have a little more time," 20-year-old Alcaraz said.

"My goal is to try and go to the Madrid Open, but at the moment nothing is certain. I was given specific recovery times and I've respected them, but I haven't felt good. I don't want to get ahead of myself.

"I can't say I'll be 100% in Madrid, but that's my intention. We'll train and do everything we can so that the feelings improve so I can play a match ... It's also a very special tournament for me."

Alcaraz will be hoping to get ready for Rome Masters, the last of the Masters 1000 tournament on clay if he misses Madrid. Alcaraz will be one of the contenders for French Open 2024, starting May 26.