Carlos Alcaraz could be forced to miss the rest of the clay-court swing with a wrist injury

The wrist problem Carlos Alcaraz picked up at the Barcelona Open could have a big impact on the rest of his European clay court season.

He injured his wrist during his win over Otto Virtanen and had to pull out before facing Tomas Machac in the next round.

Alcaraz has already withdrawn from the Madrid Open, marking the second straight year he’ll miss it.

Now, Madrid Open tournament director Feliciano Lopez says he expects Alcaraz to sit out at least one more event, as quoted by La Vanguardia.

Carlos Alcaraz may not recover in time to play the Italian Open

Alcaraz’s absence at the Madrid Open has left the men’s field looking a bit thin, especially with Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic also missing from the lineup.

Speaking on Radioestadio Noche, tournament director Feliciano Lopez expressed concern about Alcaraz’s wrist issue.

“I’ve had that injury myself. From what I’ve heard, it’s a very common injury in the world of tennis. I think his wrist tendon is a bit inflamed, I imagine, and I hope it’s not ruptured,” said Lopez.

“Now it’s time to recover because it’s not a muscle strain from overuse, since he arrived tired from Monte Carlo and something like this can happen to you. There are many small tendons in the wrist.

“I was out for about two months. I don’t know what his injury is like or the extent of it. I was out for two months but of course when I got it, I could barely hold the racket until a few days after the match ended.”

Lopez thinks Alcaraz might miss more than just Madrid and could even be sidelined for Roland Garros.

“In the end, what I wish for him is a speedy recovery because it’s an important season for him,” admitted Lopez.

“It’s true that Carlos wins on every court, but first comes Madrid, then Rome, another Masters 1000, and then Roland Garros where he’s defending his title.”

“There are 4,000 points at stake and the prestige of three major tournaments. Madrid is out; Rome seems almost impossible to me.”

What Feliciano Lopez’s warning could mean for Carlos Alcaraz’s ranking

While missing the Madrid Open won’t immediately impact his standing, an extended absence could see him lose ground to Jannik Sinner, who currently holds a slim 390-point lead at the top of the rankings.

If Sinner has a strong showing in Madrid, that gap could widen quickly. And should Alcaraz be unable to defend his title at the Italian Open, he stands to drop another 1,000 points from last year’s victory.

Such a swing would make it very difficult for him to close the gap on Sinner again this season. With Sinner playing some of his best tennis right now, a lengthy spell on the sidelines could really hurt Alcaraz’s position in the rankings.

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