Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Barcelona Open due to a wrist injury that proved to be more severe than initially anticipated. Alcaraz, who was aiming to reclaim the world number one ranking, won his first match but struggled with wrist pain and was scheduled to face Tomas Machac in the second round. The two-time Barcelona champion had recently returned to competition after losing the Monte-Carlo Masters final to Jannik Sinner.
Following a medical examination, Alcaraz decided to withdraw from the tournament to avoid further aggravating the injury. In a press conference, Alcaraz expressed his disappointment, stating that he had to prioritize his health and listen to his body to avoid long-term damage.
The Spaniard now faces a tight schedule to recover in time for the upcoming tournaments in Madrid and Rome, which serve as a build-up to the French Open. Meanwhile, British player Cameron Norrie advanced to the quarter-finals in Barcelona after a challenging three-set match against American Ethan Quinn.
Norrie is set to face Spanish 19-year-old Rafael Jodar, who has been on a winning streak, in the quarter-finals. On the WTA Tour, Katie Boulter progressed to the last eight after defeating third seed Jaqueline Cristian, while Iga Swiatek secured a quarter-final berth at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Novak Djokovic has also announced his return to action at the Mutua Madrid Open, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis.