Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Scare to Advance in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz made a triumphant return to the court, defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Barcelona Open, 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 getting another win in front of his home crowd. "It feels amazing to be back and get another win in Barcelona, it means everything," Alcaraz said, looking forward to his next match against Tomas Machac on Thursday. Alcaraz, who has won 27 of his last 29 matches on clay, is chasing his third title of the season. He emphasized that his primary focus is on steady improvement during the clay season, but the opportunity to quickly reclaim the world No 1 ranking from Sinner provides additional motivation. With Sinner absent from the draw, Alcaraz's chances of capturing the trophy on familiar territory have improved. The two-time champion in Barcelona hopes to play a full schedule on clay this season, with events to follow in Madrid and Rome ahead of his French Open title defence.