Carlos Alcaraz made a successful return to action in Barcelona, defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last 16, despite a wrist issue that required a medical timeout. Less than 48 hours after his Monte-Carlo Masters final loss to Jannik Sinner, 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 happiness at being back on home soil, saying, "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 next, is chasing his third title of the season. He noted that adapting to the conditions in Barcelona was key, and he was pleased with how he solved the problems that arose in the first set.
With the opportunity to quickly reclaim the world No 1 ranking from Sinner, Alcaraz stated that his top priority remains steady improvement during the clay season. The two-time champion in Barcelona is boosted by Sinner's absence in the draw and hopes to play a full schedule on clay this season.