Carlos Alcaraz has cast doubt on his ability to participate in the Madrid Open as he prepares to address the media later today in a press conference at the Caja Magica.
The world No.3 has been troubled by an issue he suffered during the Barcelona Open where he reached the final before losing to Holger Rune in straight sets. During the final, he took a medical timeout off the court for treatment on the upper part of his right leg and then had a second treatment on the court. After the match, Alcaraz appeared confident he could physically recover in time to play at the most prestigious tournament in his country.
However, his recovery time has not gone as quickly as he had hoped. On Wednesday, Alcaraz appeared on the chat show El Hormiguero to promote his new Netflix series, which documents his 2024 season. When asked about his recent injury issue, he admitted he was unsure if he would be able to play in Madrid.
“I had some tests done on Monday, and I am waiting for the results. At the beginning of the week, I thought I would be feeling better,” said Alcaraz.
“My participation in Madrid is in doubt; I am a bit physically annoyed. But you have to listen to your body and see how the tests go. For me, Madrid is one of the places where I enjoy playing the most.”
Since then, the radio sports program El Larguero has reported that Alcaraz will be withdrawing from Madrid. However, this has not been officially confirmed. El Larguero is broadcast on Cadena SER which is one of Spain’s biggest radio broadcasters.
Alcaraz is a two-time champion in Madrid, winning the title in 2022 and 2023. Last year he reached the quarter-finals before losing to Andrey Rublev.
According to a schedule issued on Wednesday, Alcaraz’s press conference is set to take place at 12:30 pm local time. However, this is subject to change. He hasn’t missed the tournament since making his debut four years ago.
