Carlos Alcaraz will not be competing at the 2024 Italian Open in Rome, after he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury.
After missing the Monte-Carlo Masters, and subsequently also withdrawing from the Barcelona Open, where he was the defending champion, the Spaniard's season took another hit, as he was forced to withdraw from yet another ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Alcaraz competed at the Madrid Open, but he wore a protective sleeve throughout his campaign in the Spanish capital. Despite playing some inspired tennis early on, the 20-year-old eventually ran into an inspired Andrey Rublev, who bested him in three sets.
After the match, the two-time major winner admitted that he was yet to make a decision about competing in Rome, but it seemed that he was optimistic immediately after his loss in Madrid.
However, after losing in the capital of Spain, Alcaraz underwent tests, which showed that he had muscle edema in the pronator teres, which would make him unable to compete in Rome.
"I felt pain after playing in Madrid, discomfort in my arm. Today I had some tests and I have muscle edema in the pronator teres, a consequence of my last injury. Unfortunately I won't be able to play in Rome. I need rest to recover and be able to play 100% pain-free."
Obviously, the goal for the youngster is to compete at the French Open, and subsequently the Wimbledon Championships and the Olympics, which come in a quick succession.
Therefore, he chose to withdraw from the Italian Open to protect his body, but the fact that he was forced to withdraw from three clay-court tournaments in one season is certainly worrying.
The Spaniard will now be looking to stay healthy in the coming months, as he will be defending a lot of points over the summer.