Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Scare to Advance in Barcelona

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 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 being back on home soil, stating, 'It feels great to be back and to get another win in front of my people in Barcelona, it means everything.' He faces Tomas Machac on Thursday. Alcaraz is chasing his third title of the season and is motivated by the opportunity to quickly reclaim the world No 1 ranking from Sinner. However, he emphasized that steady improvement during the clay season remains his top priority. 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, with events to follow in Madrid and Rome ahead of his French Open title defence.