World-class tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has been forced to withdraw from the Barcelona Open due to a wrist injury. The Spanish athlete, who was aiming to regain his world No 1 ranking, won his first match but struggled with wrist pain and was set to face Tomas Machac in the second round.
Following a medical examination, Alcaraz made the difficult decision to pull out of the tournament, citing the need to prioritize his health and avoid further injury. The two-time Barcelona champion had only recently returned to competition after losing the Monte-Carlo Masters final to Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz's withdrawal comes as a significant blow, particularly given his impressive track record in the tournament.
He now faces a challenging road to recovery ahead of his title defense at the French Open, which begins on May 24. Meanwhile, British No 1 Cameron Norrie has advanced to the quarter-finals in Barcelona, while Katie Boulter has also progressed to the last eight in the Open de Rouen. On the WTA Tour, Iga Swiatek secured a quarter-final berth in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, marking her first match with new coach Francisco Roig.
Novak Djokovic has announced his return to action at the Mutua Madrid Open, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis from April 21 to May 3.