Carlos Alcaraz Archives

‘Not possible’ – Alcaraz withdraws from Monte-Carlo Masters with arm injury

April 9, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz has announced that he has withdrawn from the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament this week due to an arm injury.

The first round of the tournament got under way on Sunday and Alcaraz was due to begin his campaign in the second round against No. 35 rank Felix Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday.

However, the two-time Grand Slam champion was forced to pull out the day before his opener, citing a problem with his right arm.

The current Wimbledon holder announced the news on social media on Tuesday.

He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible and I cannot play!

“I was really looking forward to playing. See you next year!”

Lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego will replace the 20-year-old and face Auger-Aliassime for a spot in the third round after the Canadian beat Luca Nardi 6-2 6-3 in his opener on Monday.

The world No. 3 raised fears over an injury when he wore a strapping on his right arm in a practice session with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero ahead of the tournament in France.

It was reported that Alcaraz looked in discomfort while preparing for his first match, where he utilised plenty of slice shots instead of forehands in a bid to keep the intensity to a minimum.

Speaking to Eurosport on Sunday, Alcaraz explained: “Right now, I don’t feel pain on the ankle, I am moving normally. It’s something that I have to trust, and let’s see. But it’s gonna be difficult probably.”

The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from his first-round match against Thiago Monteiro at the Rio Open in February due to his ankle, and returned to the court to claim back-to-back Indian Wells titles in March.

Alcaraz arrived in southern France hoping to bounce back from a disappointing quarter-final defeat to Grigor Dimitrov at the Miami Open.

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‘Older and slower’ – Leconte thinks Djokovic will struggle to match Alcaraz and Sinner

April 9, 2024

Former world No. 5 Henri Leconte has weighed in on the situation at the top of the men’s game, where 36-year-old Novak Djokovic is trying to reassert his dominance having failed to win a tournament so far this year.

Djokovic opens his campaign in Monte-Carlo on Tuesday against Roman Safiullin, as he bids to add a third Monaco title to his collection. It will be his first match on clay of the year, and his first of any kind since he .

But with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in attendance, on top form and brimming full of confidence, Djokovic has his work cut out this week.

“The ‘Next Gen’ has dominated since last year, but they must prove that they can remain at the highest level,” Leconte told Monaco Matin ahead of the tournament.

“Sinner wins and confirms with his exceptional start to the season. There’s still Novak, but he’s older and he’s slower. He lost a little liveliness.

“Young people are less afraid because they feel that it is crumbly. Slowly, everything changes.”

Leconte knows a thing or two about playing well on clay, having reached the final at Roland-Garros back in 1988, losing to Eurosport’s own Mats Wilander.

Henri Leconte à Roland-Garros

Image credit: Getty Images

Djokovic has made no secret of his desire to do well on the clay this year, with the Olympics set to be played on the red-dirt courts of Roland-Garros.

A strong run on clay before the grass-court season would be the perfect build up to that Olympic campaign, with a gold medal one of the very few things missing from Djokovic’s trophy cabinet.

But as Leconte alluded to, time waits for no man. Djokovic will turn 37 next month, and he has his work cut against a younger generation who know they can beat him on the biggest of stages. Alcaraz did so at Wimbledon last year, Sinner in Melbourne.

And with the likes of Daniil Medvedev playing some good tennis, Alexander Zverev coming back to his best form after his lengthy injury layoff and Holger Rune only likely to improve, Djokovic has his hands full this season when it comes to taking home those trophies.

But first he must make his way past Safiullin. The two have played once before, Djokovic winning in straight sets in Tel Aviv in 2022. They have never met on clay though, so it could be a tricky opening for the world No. 1, especially as he is currently without a full-time coach, having parted ways with Goran Ivanisevic last month after six years together.

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Exclusive: Alcaraz says he must ‘trust’ his ankle as he prepares for Monte Carlo

April 7, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz has stressed that he must “trust” his ankle as he prepares for a return to clay at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the Rio Open in his first game at the tournament, handing home favourite Thiago Monterio a walkover with the score at 1-1 in the first set.

Alcaraz had returned to Brazil looking to avenge his .

The 20-year-old, now world No. 3 after Jannik Sinner’s win in Miami saw the Italian leapfrog him, is seeded third in Monaco and received a bye in his first-round match as the third seed.

Speaking exclusively to Eurosport ahead of the tournament, the reigning Wimbledon champion has said that the ankle injury is – for the moment – at the back of his mind.

“I thought [about my clay return after the Rio injury], with all the slices and being careful on it,” Alcaraz said.

“But after the first hour [of training back on clay], I try not to think about it and played normally.

“I don’t feel pain in my ankle, and am moving normally. It’s something I have to trust, and let’s see. The first matches will be difficult, and there might be some thoughts in my mind about it.”

At just 20 years of age, Alcaraz’s mentality has been tested after some surprise defeats this season, including a premature exit at the Australian Open to Alexander Zverev in the last eight, a semi-final loss to Nicolas Jarry in Argentina, and the most recent defeat to Dimitrov in Miami.

“I learned a lot from the tournaments that I have played since the season began,” Alcaraz explained.

“I’m glad to find my tennis again in the last two tournaments. All my life, I’ve played on clay courts so I know better how to play on the surface. [In] the last two tournaments, I recovered my joy and my game and I’m glad to be able to show that level on clay again.”

Miami Open Highlights: Alcaraz powers to straight sets win over Carballes Baena

The Spaniard also said that he could well lock horns with his compatriot Rafael Nadal – who himself withdrew from the Monte Carlo event recently – but on the golf course, not the tennis court.

“[Rafa and I] spoke about playing golf [together] one day,” he said.

“I can’t compete against him in golf; I’d have to practise for years. It’s something that has helped me a lot to turn my mind off, and thanks to that, I can play better on the tennis court. I try to play golf as much as I can to disconnect and it’s really helpful when I’m not training or in competition.”

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Djokovic and Alcaraz on course to clash in Monte Carlo semi-finals

April 5, 2024

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz could clash in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters after being placed in the same half of the draw.

Djokovic is the No. 1 seed and will arrive in the Principality chasing a third win in the event.

While Alcaraz would look to be a big obstacle to a third Monte Carlo win, Djokovic’s path to the last four does not look easy and a potential banana skin could be Lorenzo Musetti in the third round. The Italian toppled Djokovic at the same stage in 2023.

Andrey Rublev is the defending champion and to hammer home the test Djokovic could face, the Russian is a possible quarter-final opponent for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

Alcaraz has shown a liking for clay, with seven titles to his name on the surface.

His opening match will be against Felix Auger-Aliassime or a qualifier, while Casper Ruud could be a quarter-final opponent.

The Italian has risen to No. 2 in the world and he will open up against the winner of the match between Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Sebastian Korda.

No. 4 seed Daniil Medvedev is a possible semi-final opponent for Sinner – albeit he may have to overcome Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.

Dimitrov signalled a return to form with a run to the final of the Miami Open and he opens his Monte Carlo challenge against wild card Valentin Vacherot.

Britain’s Jack Draper will face Hubert Hurkacz in his opening match.

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When is the 2024 French Open? What’s the schedule? Will Djokovic and Nadal play?

April 3, 2024

As one of four Grand Slam tournaments, the French Open is one of the most prestigious events on the tennis calendar.

The clay major has seen some all-time great champions in recent years, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek, as well as plenty of epic matches.

The top stars from the men’s and women’s tours will be back at Roland-Garros this summer as they look to get their hands on the French Open trophy.

Eurosport and discovery+ will again be the exclusive home of the French Open in the UK, and here’s all you need to know about the Grand Slam, including when it starts, who should be playing, how to watch every match and what else is in store…

When is the 2024 French Open?

Qualifying for the French Open starts on Monday, May 20 and finishes on Friday, May 24.

The main draw starts on Sunday, May 26, as the French Open is one of two Grand Slams, along with the Australian Open, that is run over 15 days instead of 14 this year.

The singles finals will be held on the weekend of June 8.

Play starts at 10am UK time every day except for finals weekend, and there will be an evening session scheduled from 7.15pm UK time every day until the semi-finals start on Thursday, June 6.

French Open 2024 schedule

Monday, May 20 – Friday, May 24: Qualifying
Sunday, May 25: Men’s and women’s singles first round
Monday, May 26: Men’s and women’s singles first round
Tuesday, May 27: Men’s and women’s singles first round
Wednesday, May 28: Men’s and women’s singles second round
Thursday, May 29: Men’s and women’s singles second round
Friday, May 30: Men’s and women’s singles third round
Saturday, June 1: Men’s and women’s singles third round
Sunday, June 2: Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
Monday, June 3: Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
Tuesday, June 4: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
Wednesday, June 5: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
Thursday, June 6: Women’s singles semi-finals
Friday, June 7: Men’s singles semi-finals
Saturday, June 8: Women’s singles final, men’s doubles final
Sunday, June 9: Men’s singles final, women’s doubles final

When is the 2024 French Open draw?

The timings for the draw for the French Open has not been confirmed but it will likely be held on Thursday, May 23.

How to watch and stream the 2024 French Open

You can watch every day of the 2024 French Open live on Eurosport, eurosport.co.uk, the Eurosport app and on-demand on discovery+.

Enjoy the action ad-free on the Eurosport app and via eurosport.co.uk. Download the Eurosport app now for iOS and Android.

As well as coverage from around Roland-Garros, there will be expert analysis from on-site and in The Cube.

Who’s playing the 2024 French Open?

The top players from the ATP and WTA tours will all hope to be competing at the French Open.

The headline name on the men’s side could be 14-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Nadal has been troubled by injuries since the start of 2023 and missed the French Open last year after undergoing hip surgery.

He has said this could be his final year on tour and it has been predicted that either the French Open or the tennis event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is also played at Roland-Garros, could be his last tournament.

Novak Djokovic will be looking for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title as he defends his French Open crown.

Djokovic beat Casper Ruud in last year’s final to win in Paris for the third time in his career.

Highlights: Djokovic makes history by winning 23rd Grand Slam against Ruud

He is currently tied with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam wins in history.

Iga Swiatek will be the defending women’s champion as she aims for a fourth victory at the French Open.

The Polish star beat Karolina Muchova in the 2023 final and has looked unstoppable at times at the tournament.

Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina will all be looking to challenge Swiatek.

Katie Boulter is set to be the leading British contender in the women’s draw.

Stream top tennis action, including the 2024 French Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

When is the Monte Carlo Masters? Are Djokovic and Nadal playing?

April 3, 2024

It’s time for the clay swing.

The next couple of months will feature some of the biggest tournaments of the season as players build up to the French Open.

The first port of call for most of the top stars on the ATP Tour is the Monte Carlo Masters, which is one of three ATP Masters 1000 clay tournaments.

When and where is the Monte Carlo Masters?

The Monte Carlo Masters is played on clay courts at the Monte Carlo Country Club and is an ATP Tour event.

Qualifying starts on Saturday, April 6 and the main draw begins on Monday, April 8.

The singles final is held on Sunday, April 14.

Play starts at 10am UK time every day except for finals day, when the singles final begins at 2pm UK time.

Monte Carlo Masters 2024 schedule

Saturday, April 6: Qualifying
Sunday, April 7: Qualifying
Monday, April 8: First round
Tuesday, April 9: First and second round
Wednesday, April 10: Second and third round
Thursday, April 11: Third round
Friday, April 12: Quarter-finals
Saturday, April 13: Semi-finals
Sunday, April 14: Doubles final and singles final

Will Novak Djokovic play Monte Carlo?

The world No. 1 has had a rocky start to the year, losing in the Australian Open semi-finals and then suffering a shock defeat to Luca Nardi in the third round at Indian Wells.

Djokovic, who has been pictured practising with Holger Rune in Monte Carlo, has not yet hired a replacement for Ivanisevic.

Djokovic is into his 419th week as world No. 1 and this week will break Roger Federer’s record as the oldest No. 1 in history.

Jannik Sinner appears to be on the march to becoming world No. 1 after his stunning start to the year but can’t catch Djokovic in Monte Carlo as he has 360 points to defend from making the semi-finals last year, while Djokovic only has 90.

Carlos Alcaraz, who has slipped down to world No. 3, also only has 90 points to defend but is 1,080 points behind Djokovic.

There are 1,000 points on offer for the winner in Monte Carlo.

Will Rafael Nadal play Monte Carlo?

Rafeal Nadal’s potential clay swansong is set to start in Monte Carlo.

The 11-time champion has not played since making his return after a year out in Brisbane at the start of the season.

Clay remains Nadal’s favourite surface and is expected to be kinder for his body than hard courts.

It is still not known how much longer Nadal will play for. He will celebrate his 38th birthday in early June and has previously said this could be his last season on tour, which might mean a farewell at the French Open or the Olympics – but he has also not ruled out playing on.

Are Sinner, Alcaraz and Murray playing Monte Carlo?

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are both set to start their clay seasons in Monte Carlo.

Sinner and Alcaraz were the standout players across the Sunshine Double, winning Miami and Indian Wells respectively, and look the closest rivals to Djokovic.

Murray’s team have said it is “still not clear how long Andy will be out of action”, but there is a chance he could miss the entire clay season due to the injury.

Who is the defending Monte Carlo champion?

Andrey Rublev beat Holger Rune in last year’s final to claim the first Masters 1000 title of his career.

Rublev does not come into the tournament in the best of form, having lost two of three matches across Indian Wells and Miami.

Stream top tennis action, including the 2024 French Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

‘Best feeling’ – Alcaraz delighted with form as he beats Musetti to reach quarters

March 27, 2024

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz secured his place in the Miami Open quarter-finals on Tuesday night with a comfortable straight-sets, 6-3 6-3, victory over Lorenzo Musetti.

The outcome of the match never really looked in doubt as Alcaraz stormed past the No. 23 seed from Italy, who reached the semi-finals of the tournament last year, in convincing fashion on the lead court at the Hard Rock Stadium.

Alcaraz struck 23 winners in the match, and he was left to reflect on a performance that he was very happy with as he said it was “the best feeling since last summer” when he won at Wimbledon for the first time. His triumph at Indian Wells was his first title since that glory at SW19.

“I know that his style is playing from the back with spin,” he began as he talked about Musetti’s game. “I tried to not let him feel comfortable on the court.

“I tried to play my game, play aggressive with my shots, go to the net, drop shots, my style. I think I did pretty well and I’m really happy with my performance.

“I don’t know if this is the best game that I’m playing, but without a doubt it’s the best feeling,” he continued.

“I’m feeling great on the court. I’m moving great, not injured or thinking about the ankle [injury] anymore. I think [this is] the best feeling since last summer.”

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates his victory over Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the fourth round of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida

Image credit: Getty Images

Alcaraz’s next opponent in the quarter-finals will be veteran Grigor Dimitrov, who continued his run in Miami with a hard-fought win over eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz in three sets, 3-6 6-3 7-6(3).

The world No. 12 is enjoying a strong career resurgence and is hoping to return to the top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time since 2018.

The Bulgarian said of facing Alcaraz in the next round: “I’m looking forward to the match. Everyone wants to challenge the best of the world.

“Clearly, he’s been playing outstanding tennis, but so am I. I’ve been very consistent on a lot of ends. I think if I clean up my game a little bit it can be very interesting.

“I’m excited because these are the types of matches I want to play. First time in the quarter-finals here, I think it gives you an extra boost.”

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Alcaraz puts on a ‘show’ in front of ‘legends’ as he beats Monfils to make last 16

March 26, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz moved into the last 16 of the Miami Open with a straight-sets victory over Gael Monfils.

The world No. 2 proved too good for Monfils, who appeared to injure his ankle early in the match, as he won 6-2 6-4 in 74 minutes.

Alcaraz will next face Lorenzo Musetti as he continues his quest for the Sunshine Double.

“He’s a great athlete. He reaches almost every ball,” said Alcaraz about Monfils.

“But at the same time, with my forehand, my best shot, I tried to move him around the court, tried to get him tired a little bit and give myself the chance to dominate the point, trying to go to the net and hitting my best shots.”

Alcaraz looked set for a routine win until a late burst from Monfils saw him break serve for the first time from 5-3 down in the second set.

A big forehand winner followed in the next game as Monfils made Alcaraz serve out the match.

That, though, was no problem for the world No. 2, who sealed the win with a love hold.

Among those watching were Brazil forward Neymar, NBA star Jimmy Butler and former world No. 3 Juan Martin del Potro.

Musetti books Alcaraz clash in Miami by stunning Shelton – Miami Open highlights

“It’s kind of difficult to stay focused on the match, having such legends from every sport,” said Alcaraz.

“It’s great for me. I try to show great tennis, try to make them happy as well, make them enjoy watching my games.

“It’s a great opportunity to have them here, to talk with them a little bit. It’s great to put on a show in front of them.”

Next up for Alcaraz is Musetti, who beat Ben Shelton 6-4 7-6(5) to advance.

Musetti recovered from 3-0 and 4-1 down in the second set as he made the last 16 in Miami for the first time.

“[My team was] saying patience because sometimes Ben, with the really good serves, could be really frustrating,” said the Italian.

“Some points I had an opportunity to break him in the second set, I didn’t find the right ball with the forehand. Sometimes he was serving pretty well, with the slice at the body.

“Even the last point was really tough to return. I had to be really patient and try to focus on what I had to do. I think I played probably the best match of the year.”

Musetti lost both matches against Alcaraz in straight sets last year.

“It’s always a nice challenge, especially for me,” he sad. “I have a huge friendship with him and we’ve played so many battles on court. He’s up in the score, so hopefully I can win this time. But I’m really looking forward to playing against him.

“He’s a great person, a great human being and a great athlete. For me, it’s an inspiration, so hopefully I can give my best and try to win that match.”

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Why Alcaraz is ‘wishing’ for rivalry like Federer v Nadal – could it be with Sinner?

March 25, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz says he dreams of being part of a rivalry like Roger Federer had with Rafael Nadal to help push him to his “maximum level”.

It was 20 years ago in Miami that one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history was born as Federer and Nadal faced off for the first time.

There would be 39 more meetings to follow as Nadal and Federer battled for supremacy on the biggest stages across 15 seasons.

It was a rivalry that will live long in the memory, and one that has resonated with Alcaraz.

“They have had a very nice and demanding rivalry at the same time,” said the world No. 2.

“What I’ve learned from this rivalry is that you can never fall behind or give up or settle. You always have to improve, you always have to raise your level. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re at your maximum level, that you can’t give more, you can always give a little more.

“That’s what they’ve shown for so many years that they’ve been up there. Every time they lost to each other, they tried to be better to win the next time. And they’ve done that for a long time, which is something incredible and something to admire.

“I wish I could have a rivalry like they have had.”

It seems more likely than not that Alcaraz, who plays Gael Monfils in the last 32 of the Miami Open on Monday, will be part of the next great rivalry in men’s tennis.

There have been early signs of that in his eight matches against world No. 3 Jannik Sinner, with plenty of thrilling moments and some incredible shot-making from both players.

At 20 and 22, Alcaraz and Sinner are considered the likely leaders of the next generation when world No. 1 Novak Djokovic retires.

“Hopefully both Jannik and I have a nice long future ahead of us,” said Alcaraz.

“In that way I hope I can give my best level and continue to grow thanks to him while I see the level he is having.”

Alcaraz and Sinner are on course to meet in the final of the Miami Open.

It would be the second meeting between the pair this year, with Alcaraz winning in three sets when they clashed in the Indian Wells semis earlier this month.

Watch highlights as Alcaraz beats Sinner at Indian Wells to end Italian’s winning run

“He’s an incredible player and usually when we play it’s a very good match-up. We both try our best on the court. We have a lot of respect for each other.

“Off the court we don’t speak that much because he has his own things and I have my things, but on the court he’s a player who can show so many things on the court.

“He has a lot of emotions, he shows a really good fighting spirit. Everyone is different, I am not showing so many emotions on the court, but it works as well for my side.

“I’m very happy always when I face him and it gives me a chance to see a new perspectives for what I have to work on.

“Last year I lost against him also in the semi-finals there. I just try to be ready and hopefully I can do also this year the same.”

Sinner plays Christopher O’Connell in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Stream the 2024 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+

Why Alcaraz is ‘wishing’ for rivalry like Federer v Nadal – could it be with Sinner?

March 25, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz says he dreams of being part of a rivalry like Roger Federer had with Rafael Nadal to help push him to his “maximum level”.

It was 20 years ago in Miami that one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history was born as Federer and Nadal faced off for the first time.

There would be 39 more meetings to follow as Nadal and Federer battled for supremacy on the biggest stages across 15 seasons.

It was a rivalry that will live long in the memory, and one that has resonated with Alcaraz.

“They have had a very nice and demanding rivalry at the same time,” said the world No. 2.

“I wish I could have a rivalry like they have had.”

It seems more likely than not that Alcaraz, who plays Gael Monfils in the last 32 of the Miami Open on Monday, will be part of the next great rivalry in men’s tennis.

There have been early signs of that in his eight matches against world No. 3 Jannik Sinner, with plenty of thrilling moments and some incredible shot-making from both players.

At 20 and 22, Alcaraz and Sinner are considered the likely leaders of the next generation when world No. 1 Novak Djokovic retires.

“Hopefully both Jannik and I have a nice long future ahead of us,” said Alcaraz.

“In that way I hope I can give my best level and continue to grow thanks to him while I see the level he is having.”

Alcaraz and Sinner are on course to meet in the final of the Miami Open.

It would be the second meeting between the pair this year, with Alcaraz winning in three sets when they clashed in the Indian Wells semis earlier this month.