Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Scare to Advance in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz made a successful start to his Barcelona Open campaign, defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2, despite a wrist injury scare. The Spaniard, who needs to win the tournament to reclaim the world No 1 spot from Jannik Sinner, showed no signs of discomfort during his 85-minute win. Alcaraz expressed his delight at playing in front of his home crowd, stating, 'It feels great to be back and get another win in Barcelona, it means everything.' He faces Tomas Machac in the next round and is chasing his third title of the season. Alcaraz is motivated to quickly reclaim the top ranking, but his primary focus remains on steady improvement during the clay season. With Sinner absent from the draw, Alcaraz's chances of winning the tournament have improved, and he is determined to stay on track and keep improving.