Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Concern to Advance in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz made a successful return to the court in Barcelona, defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the tournament. This victory comes less than 48 hours after his loss to Jannik Sinner in the Monte-Carlo Masters final. Despite a wrist issue that required 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 happiness at playing in front of his home crowd and is looking forward to his next match against Tomas Machac. Alcaraz is seeking his third title of the season, following his wins at the Australian Open and the ATP 500 event in Doha. He noted that the opportunity to quickly regain the top ranking provides additional motivation but emphasized that steady improvement during the clay season remains his priority. With Sinner absent from the draw, Alcaraz's chances of capturing the trophy on familiar territory are boosted.