Carlos Alcaraz is back on the practice courts at his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's academy, but it is not yet clear if he will play at the Barcelona Open.
The news of Alcaraz's withdrawal from the Monte-Carlo Masters was a devastating blow for the tournament. This was especially the case since Rafael Nadal had also pulled out of the event before the Wimbledon champion's announcement.
Alcaraz made that decision due to a problem with his right forearm. It is not the first time that the Spaniard has had issues with this area, also struggling with a similar injury towards the end of the Asian swing last year.
Although his withdrawal was disappointing for tennis fans, many believed it was a sensible move. This includes Andy Roddick, who called it the smart thing to do, feeling there was no point playing and potentially exacerbating the problem.
It was previously reported that Alcaraz would undergo a test on his forearm by practicing on Thursday and Friday to see how it is feeling. A clip from the first of those practice sessions has now been released.
One thing is immediately noticeable in the footage of Alcaraz practicing. He is only hitting backhands, with not a single forehand hit in the entire video of him that can be seen below.
This is certainly being done out of caution. Putting an emphasis on the backhand reduces the risk of Alcaraz causing additional pain to his troublesome forearm.
Some may be slightly concerned that Alcaraz is not comfortable hitting forehands, so close to the start of the tournament in Barcelona. If Thursday and Friday were his tests, not feeling able to even try the forehand might be a bad sign.
However, it is also possible that Alcaraz is feeling confident of appearing at the Barcelona Open and not striking any forehands is just a precaution. Hopefully, that is the case and fans will see Alcaraz defend his title in Barcelona.
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