Carlos Alcaraz makes call on Barcelona Open following latest injury as…

When the two-time Major winner was spotted in Monte Carlo for his pre-tournament practice sessions, he initially raised eyebrows because of the strapping on the area. Next, he withdrew one day prior to his first game. “I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible and I cannot play,” he said to social media.

Since then, Alcaraz has had a few days break from training before returning to Villena. Throughout his sessions on Thursday and Friday, he continued to wear the arm strapping.

The world No. 3 has won the Barcelona Open twice in a row, taking home the title in 2022 and 2023. Alcaraz will start as the top seed when the draw is made this next weekend.

The 20-year-old hasn’t started hitting forehands again, so it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for his first game. If he does, he might have some difficulties when he starts practicing the stroke again in Barcelona. Nadal, meanwhile, is in a similar precarious situation in Barcelona.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been training in the city since arriving on Wednesday. He has, however, said unequivocally that he has not yet committed to playing in the ATP 500 tournament.

“Greetings from Barcelona. First training session: I’m happy to be here in the days before the competition. Nadal posted on Instagram following his performance at the competition, saying, “I’m here to see how I’m doing.. looking forward to trying to play.”

“Let me tell you. It’s important to note that, although I hope to play, I don’t want to confirm. We’ll see.” If Nadal does not withdraw by tomorrow, he will be included into the draw for the tournament and may decide not to participate until either Monday or Tuesday, when he plays his first match.

Nadal withdrew from the tournament just a few days before it was scheduled to return in Monte Carlo. “From a sporting perspective, these are really challenging times for me. Regretfully, I must inform you that I will not be participating in the Monte Carlo tournament. He added, “My body just won’t let me,” as he declared his intention to withdraw.