Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the Barcelona Open on Thursday after medical tests on his right wrist showed a more serious injury than expected, ending the 22-year-old's bid to defend his title run in front of a home crowd.
Alcaraz had already beaten Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen in straight sets on Tuesday, but he said he felt his wrist give out on a return during that match and later had to withdraw before facing Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.
The Spaniard won the Barcelona Open in 2022 and 2023 and was a beaten finalist last year, so his exit comes after a tournament he has repeatedly owned and after a week in which Jannik Sinner replaced him as world number one. Alcaraz also returned to action in Barcelona just 48 hours after losing the Monte-Carlo Masters final to Sinner, and he would have regained top spot had he won this year's event.
“I felt my wrist give out on a return during the match,” Alcaraz said. “After the tests, we saw that it's a more serious injury than any of us expected, and I have to listen to my body so it doesn't affect me in the future.” He added that he would go home to begin recovery as soon as possible with his team, including doctors and a physical therapist, and try to be as healthy as possible for the tournaments ahead.
It is the second time in three years that injury has forced Alcaraz out of the clay-court event in Barcelona, a setback for a player who has already won seven Grand Slams, including Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024. The bigger question now is whether he can be ready for the French Open, which starts on 18 May.
Elsewhere in Barcelona, Britain's Cameron Norrie moved into the third round after a 6-3 4-6 6-4 win over Ethan Quinn and will face Spain's Rafael Jodar in the quarter-finals. Katie Boulter also advanced at the Open de Rouen, beating Jaqueline Cristian of Romania 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-1 to reach the last eight.
For Alcaraz, the immediate task is no longer chasing another title in Barcelona. It is finding out whether a wrist that gave way once can be trusted again in time for the season's next major test.
