Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws from Barcelona

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis

A wrist watch has knocked Carlos Alcaraz out of Barcelona.

Alcaraz officially withdrew from the Barcelona Open today citing concerns over the wrist issue he sustained during his 6-4, 6-2 victory over Otto Virtanen yesterday. In a statement, the tournament said Alcaraz pulled out after undergoing scans on his right wrist.

“It’s strange and difficult to sit here for the second time and communicate that I won’t be able to continue in the tournament,” the 2025 finalist Alcaraz told the media in Barcelona. “As you could all see, yesterday in the match after a return my wrist beat me and I felt a discomfort that gradually got worse.

“It is a situation that I had already felt previously and that I believed was not going to go any further, that it was only a demand for the whole week.

“But looking at the evidence today, it is a slightly more serious injury than we all expected. I must listen to my body, what suits me best, that it does not affect me in the future,”

Alcaraz’s withdrawal sends Czechia’s Tomas Machac into the Barcelona quarterfinals where he awaits either Lorenzo Sonego or Andrey Rublev.

World No. 2 Alcaraz took a medical timeout late in the opening set to have his wrist taped up yesterday.

“They are discomforts that come out seeing the few days I have had of recovery in some movement that is not usual,” Alcaraz told Spanish media in Barcelona after his opening-round win on Tuesday. “I went more relaxed to the second set. Juanjo, my physio, will see me, but they are discomforts that I have had before and that did not get worse.

“My idea is to be in the best possible condition for Thursday’s [match].” 

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Reigning Roland Garros, US Open and Australian Open champion Alcaraz arrived in Barcelona riding a streak of seven straight clay-court finals. Alcaraz launched his quest for a third Barcelona title yesterday knowing if he took the title, he would surpass rival Jannik Sinner and regain the world No. 1 ranking.

Now, that will have to wait. Alcaraz aims to rest and recover ahead of his title defenses in Rome and Roland Garros.