Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Scare to Advance in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz made a successful start to his Barcelona Open campaign, beating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2, just 48 hours after losing to Jannik Sinner in the Monte-Carlo Masters final. Despite requiring a medical timeout due to a wrist issue 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 regain the world No 1 ranking, expressed his happiness at being back in Barcelona and playing in front of his home crowd. Alcaraz, who faces Tomas Machac next, is seeking his third title of the season after winning the Australian Open and the ATP 500 event in Doha. He emphasized that steady improvement during the clay season remains his top priority, but the chance to quickly reclaim the world No 1 ranking provides additional motivation. With Sinner absent from the draw, Alcaraz's hopes of capturing the trophy are boosted, and he aims to play a full schedule on clay this season, including events in Madrid and Rome, before defending his French Open title.