Spanish tennis legend Alex Corretja has advised Carlos Alcaraz to skip the Madrid Open if he hasn’t fully recovered from the injury he picked up in Barcelona.
Concerns are growing about Alcaraz’s fitness ahead of the Madrid Open, which begins main draw action on May 23.
The four-time Grand Slam winner suffered an abductor muscle injury early in the second set of his 6-7(6), 2-6 defeat to Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final on Sunday.
The 21-year-old took an extended medical timeout after just three games in the second set and, upon returning, appeared either unable or hesitant to move with his usual intensity.
Alcaraz had competed in 10 matches over 12 days between his title run at the Monte Carlo Masters and his campaign at the ATP 500 event in Barcelona.
Currently ranked world No. 3, Alcaraz is entered into the Madrid Open as the second seed and is slated to face either Zizou Bergs or Yoshihito Nishioka in his opening round. The Spaniard is aiming to secure his third Masters 1000 title on home soil.
During an appearance on El Larguero, former world No. 2 Alex Corretja voiced concerns about Alcaraz’s physical condition and cautioned against playing if he’s not fully fit.
“He needs to use his head and not let his heart lead,” Corretja said. “Playing a couple of matches in Madrid only to withdraw isn’t the answer.”
Every tournament holds significance, and the Mutua is a key event on the calendar, but if he feels there’s a risk of injury, he needs to seriously consider his options.
If it were Rome, would he go all out? I doubt it—so he shouldn’t feel compelled to do so just because it’s Madrid, especially if it could harm him.
“Physically, I have my doubts. He’s played ten matches in twelve days and picked up a muscle injury on Sunday, so expecting him to be at 100% in just four or five days for Madrid is cutting it close, especially with a demanding schedule ahead.”
I view the situation with some uncertainty—I have great confidence in Carlos, but I’m uneasy about how he’ll be physically. I’m doubtful about what he’ll be able to achieve in Madrid.
The two-time French Open runner-up also shared his thoughts on the Barcelona final.
“He (Rune) was the one dictating the pace and slowing things down,” Corretja said.
“There was a point midway through the first set when the Dane took control and Alcaraz started making more mistakes.”
