Carlos Alcaraz was worried about his arm before his match against Thiago Seyboth Wild at the 2024 Madrid Open, but he passed the 'test of fire.'
There was a reason why Alcaraz used the term he did, and it was because of the way his previous opponent plays tennis. The Brazilian is a very aggressive player who hits the ball hard, so his arm would be quite tested in this matchup.
To counter his opponent, he would have to put in more force than he did in the previous match, and it would be a proper test of where he is. It worked out well for him because he beat his opponent in two relatively simple sets, and his arm held up pretty well.
He was a bit nervous leading up to the match, but he passed the test, which is a hugely positive development.
"Maybe today I was a bit nervous about how it would be, Thiago hits the ball so hard, I didn't know how the forearm would hold up. Today was the test of fire, no discomfort, feeling spectacular... from here, we'll be getting better."
The score indicates that Alcaraz felt really well on the court, and he admitted as much after the match. Everything felt really fine to him; he was moving well, hitting the ball well, and finishing well when it was time to step up.
"I was very comfortable on the court, moving, hitting the ball, as I always say finishing the game isn't easy, it's nerves."
Next up is Jan-Lennard Struff, whom he beat in the Madrid Open final last year, and it will be an interesting match. Not only are these matches tougher and tougher, but each one is basically a new test of Alcaraz and his body as he has to exert himself more to win them.