Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws From 2025 Madrid Open After Barcelona Injury

Carlos Alcaraz will not compete at the 2025 Madrid Open after he was forced to withdraw from the tournament because of an injury.

It seemed that Alcaraz finally found his top form in recent weeks. The young Spanish player won the Monte-Carlo Masters, and soon after, he reached the Barcelona Open final. But it was in that final that Alcaraz injured himself, immediately putting his Madrid Open participation in doubt.

The tournament in Madrid is an ATP Masters 1000 event, so certainly not a tournament that Alcaraz, or any other player, would want to miss. On top of that, Alcaraz won the title in Madrid in 2022 and 2023, and he would have been among the favorites once again.

However, this year's Madrid Open, which started on April 23rd and runs until May 4th, will be played without the two-time champion, as Alcaraz announced his withdrawal from the event.

The reason for Alcaraz's withdrawal is a tear in his adductor muscle. With the Madrid Open being held so close to the French Open, the Spaniard doesn't want to risk anything.

The 21-year-old's withdrawal also means that changes need to be made to the draw, as he was supposed to be a second seed and start in the second round of the tournament. Now, a lucky loser will take his place instead.

For Alcaraz, this also means that he will not have a chance to take over the World No. 2 spot from Alexander Zverev again, as the German player is now sure to keep that spot after the Madrid Open.

Although this setback didn't allow the four-time Grand Slam champion to compete in Madrid, two weeks without competitive action should be enough for him to be ready for the 2025 Italian Open in Rome, which runs from May 7th until May 18th.

Alcaraz's injury also shows how incredibly difficult it is to win every week on the ATP Tour these days. That's why the 21-year-old spoke about Rafael Nadal's longevity after losing the final in Barcelona.

The Madrid Open also would have been Alcaraz's last tournament as a 21-year-old. He will turn 22 on Monday, May 5th, a day after the Madrid Open final, which means that he will enter the Italian Open a year older.

Although Alcaraz's absence is certainly disappointing for him, it will be disappointing for the tournament organizers as well, as he is the player who undoubtedly sells the most tickets in the Spanish capital.