Alcaraz Overcomes Injury Concern to Advance in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz made a successful start to his Barcelona Open campaign, defeating Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-2, despite a wrist issue that required a medical timeout. The Spaniard, aiming to reclaim the world No 1 spot from Jannik Sinner, showed no signs of discomfort during his 85-minute win. With 27 wins from his last 29 clay-court matches, Alcaraz is chasing his third title of the season. "Being back and winning in front of my home crowd in Barcelona means everything to me," Alcaraz said, looking forward to his next match against Tomas Machac. "I'm really happy with how I adapted to the conditions and solved the problems I faced in the first set. I hope to feel a bit better in the next round." Alcaraz, who completed the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open and won the ATP 500 event in Doha, is prioritizing steady improvement during the clay season. The opportunity to quickly reclaim the world No 1 ranking from Sinner provides additional motivation, but Alcaraz remains focused on his training and matches. With Sinner absent from the draw, Alcaraz has a chance to regain the top spot by winning the tournament. "The battle between Jannik and me is great, and it probably provides extra motivation," Alcaraz said. "However, my main goal is to stay on the path we're on and keep improving. Results and points are just extra motivation." Alcaraz plans to play a full schedule on clay, including events in Madrid and Rome, before defending his French Open title in Paris on May 24. Watch the ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app.