WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz Returns To Practice But With Very Worrying Signs
NewsWednesday, 30 April 2025 at 20:40
Carlos Alcaraz returned to the tennis courts after taking some time away because of injuries that forced him to miss the Madrid Open.
Alcaraz started this clay-court season at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he won the title before reaching the final in Barcelona. It was in that final, in which the Spaniard injured himself. That injury eventually forced him to miss the Madrid Open.
Initially, the four-time Grand Slam champion was optimistic about making it to the Madrid Open, but two separate injuries related to his legs stopped him from playing.
The next tournament is the Italian Open in Rome, starting on May 7th, and Alcaraz previously stated that he thinks he will be able to play at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Italy. Working towards that goal, he already appeared on the tennis courts.
One social media user posted a video of Alcaraz training on a clay court, but there were two very worrying signs seen in the video. The 21-year-old had both of his thighs strapped, suggesting that he has yet to properly heal.
With his first tournament back set to be already in a week, Alcaraz's strapped thighs don't make it seem too probable that he will make it to Rome, even though he has played with a strapped thigh before.
At the same time, seeing the two-time Wimbledon champion back on the court is a positive sign in itself, but at the moment, it's not clear whether he will be able to make it to the Italian Open or not.
Alcaraz's compatriot, David Ferrer, spoke about Alcaraz recently, hitting back at the critics. According to Ferrer, who spoke to Eurosport, there is not much more success anyone could possibly have at this age.
"In Spain, we're like that; it's a cultural thing. How many times did people retire Rafa after an injury and then he came back better? Carlos is 21 and has won four Grand Slams, an icon at 21! What do they want? For him to win every tournament? Carlos is a special player, on Rafa's level, so let's enjoy him."
Ferrer also thinks that social media, and people's opinions could affect Alcaraz, mostly because he is still young. The Spaniard has spoken about pressure before, especially in relation to reaching the World No. 1 rank after Jannik Sinner's suspension.
"Nowadays, with social media, [the players] are very exposed, and they're also very young players. It's not the same thing criticising him as criticising me at 43 [years old]. When I was his age, I didn't have the maturity I have now. As mature as Carlos is, he's still very young, so it's normal for it to affect him a little."
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