By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday April 16, 2024

After missing back-to-back events in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona due to a lingering right forearm issue, Carlos Alcaraz is hoping to return to play in Madrid in a week. But the Spaniard says he is prepared to sit out the second clay-court Masters of 2024 if he isn't completely healed.



During a press conference on Monday, Alcaraz went over the timeline of his injury and explained that he expected to play in Barcelona after opting out of Monte-Carlo, but when he took the practice court on Sunday and experienced discomfort, he shut it down.

“My feeling isn’t right, but it is what it is,” Alcaraz said at a press conference on Monday afternoon. “Now I’m fully focused on recovery, and I have a little more time. My goal is to try and go to Madrid, but at the moment nothing is certain. I was given specific recovery times and I’ve respected them, but I haven’t felt good. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

Alcaraz says he first felt the injury in practice in Monte-Carlo. He felt it was nothing at first, and was relieved to find that tests produced positive images on Saturday. But on Sunday he says he felt too much discomfort in practice, while hitting forehands.

Alcaraz stressed patience and says he will do everything he can to get to 100 percent.

“I can’t say I’ll be 100 percent in Madrid, but that’s my intention," he said. "We’ll train and do everything we can so that the feelings improve so I can play a tennis match. Hopefully I can enjoy the fans in Madrid and play at home. It’s also a very special tournament for me.”