Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed his withdrawal from the Masters 1000 event in Madrid due to two injuries but is confident he can be fit for Rome and Roland Garros.
The Spaniard has withdrawn from the tournament in Madrid citing a left hamstring injury that he suffered in the Barcelona final against Holger Rune.
Speaking in a press conference in Madrid Alcaraz detailed the injury and admitted the decision was ‘difficult’ to make, “I mean, in Barcelona final I felt something in the left hamstring, I didn’t think that it was that serious,” Alcaraz stated in English.
“I’m really disappointed that I’m not able to play here in Madrid, it is a place that I love playing in front of my people, in front of my family, my friends. They are not able to travel so much, so here is a special place for me. It was a really difficult situation, really difficult to decide, you know, not able to play.
“I think it is what it is. Tennis is really a demanding sport. Playing week after week, so many matches in a row, and you have to heal your body sometimes and take difficult decisions. I will come back stronger, I will come back with a lot of power for the next tournaments, but, yeah, I’m really disappointed not playing here in Madrid.”
It’s a big setback for Alcaraz who made a strong start to the clay court season by winning the title in Monte-Carlo before reaching the final in Barcelona.
However it’s disappointment for Alcaraz in Madrid for a second year in a row after he was unable to be at 100% last year.
“Last year it was a more difficult situation for me with the forearm, that I had a lot of doubts about my game in that period. This injury, I mean, I’m not really worried about it,” Alcaraz admitted.
“It’s just, or I believe it’s going to be, it’s going to take one week, one week and a half, two weeks maximum, but I won’t have doubts about coming back and moving a hundred percent again. But from this situation I’m going to try to learn from the past, trying to deal the best way possible. And, yeah, and coming from the next tournaments and, yeah, I’m a hundred percent.”
Despite the injury Alcaraz is confident of glory at Roland Garros next month as he targets a successful target defence in Paris.
Speaking about his short-term future Alcaraz believes he will be fit for Rome and Roland Garros as he insists he is in confident mood, “I mean, my plan is going to Rome. My mindset is to do everything it takes to be a hundred percent for Rome,” the Spaniard explained.
“I will do some tests at the beginning of next week just to see how it’s improved, and from that let’s see how it’s going to be the next days. My hope is to play in Rome. If not, I mean, next tournament is Roland Garros for me. So I will try to be on court as soon as possible.
“I mean, my confidence is so high right now, doesn’t matter that I got injured, right, the tennis that I played the last two weeks has been great for me. Mentally I think I’m strong to play good tennis again, so this is not going to take my confidence away.
“I mean, if I don’t play Rome or if I don’t play any tournaments before Roland Garros, I mean, for me I don’t care about it. I just have the confidence, I know what is my level, I know what I have to do, you know, to play a good tennis, so just like that.”
The Masters 1000 event in Rome begins on the 7th of May.
