Carlos Alcaraz went straight from Monte Carlo to Barcelona on Sunday night, turning the page quickly after his final loss to Jannik Sinner and arriving back at the tournament where he has already built a strong record. The claycourt season continues in Barcelona and Munich this week, and Alcaraz is back in the frame as the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell begins.
Alcaraz won the Barcelona title in 2022 and 2023, then lost the final 12 months ago to Holger Rune. Even so, he is still no bigger than 1/2 to lift the trophy again, a price that reflects how far ahead he has looked on clay for much of the past few seasons. The schedule in Barcelona now gives him another chance to reset quickly after Monte Carlo and make the kind of run that has become familiar to him on this surface.
Lorenzo Musetti is another name to watch in the draw, though his route is more uncertain. The Italian was beaten by Valentin Vacherot in the opening round of Monte Carlo and has been winless since the Australian Open, playing only two matches in that stretch because of an arm injury. He is 16/1 to reach the final in Barcelona, while Arthur Fils is the favourite to come through Musetti's section.
Barcelona is part of a busy stretch that also includes Madrid and Rome before the tour reaches Paris, so there is little room to settle in. That makes Alcaraz's immediate move from Monte Carlo to Barcelona more than a travel note; it is a sign that the leading claycourt players are already in tournament mode, with ranking points, form and confidence all being chased at pace.
The tension in Barcelona is whether anyone can slow Alcaraz long enough to make the draw matter. On current numbers, that remains the hardest question in the field, and the Spaniard begins this week as the clear centre of attention.
