Carlos Alcaraz made a triumphant return to action in Barcelona, defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last 16, just 48 hours after his Monte-Carlo Masters final loss to Jannik Sinner. Despite a wrist issue that prompted a medical timeout at the end of the first set, Alcaraz showed no signs of discomfort during his 85-minute win. The Spaniard, who must win the tournament to reclaim the world No 1 spot, expressed his delight at being back on home soil, stating, "It feels great to be back and to get another win in front of my people in Barcelona, it means everything." Alcaraz, who faces Tomas Machac on Thursday, is seeking his third title of the season after completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open and winning the ATP 500 event in Doha. He acknowledged that the opportunity to quickly reclaim the world No 1 ranking from Sinner provides additional motivation, but emphasized that steady improvement during the clay season remains his top priority.
With Sinner absent from the draw, Alcaraz's chances of capturing the trophy on familiar territory have improved. The two-time champion in Barcelona joked about not missing Sinner this week and recognizes the battle between them as a great motivator. However, Alcaraz's focus remains on staying on the path to improvement, with results and points serving as extra motivation.
Alcaraz aims to play a full schedule on clay this season, with events to follow in Madrid and Rome ahead of his French Open title defense. He is available to watch live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost.