World number three Carlos Alcaraz has announced his withdrawal from the Italian Open as he continues to battle an arm injury, the two-time Grand Slam champion confirmed on Friday.
After successfully defending his Indian Wells title in March and reaching the quarter-finals of the Miami Open, Alcaraz sustained a right forearm injury during a practice session in Monaco. The injury has persisted, hampering the start of his clay court season.
The 20-year-old Spaniard’s hopes of securing a third consecutive Madrid Open title were dashed when he suffered a 4-6 6-3 6-2 defeat to Russian Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Sentí dolor después de jugar en Madrid, molestias en mi brazo. Hoy me hecho unas pruebas y tengo un edema muscular en pronador redondo, consecuencia de mi última lesión. Desgraciadamente no voy a poder jugar en Roma. Necesito descanso para recuperarme y poder jugar sin dolor al… pic.twitter.com/hCm87LLIhH
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) May 3, 2024
Alcaraz took to social media platform X to announce his withdrawal, stating, “I felt some pain after playing in Madrid, some discomfort in my arm. Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Rome. I need to rest so I can recover and play 100% pain-free. I am very sorry, I will see you next year.”
The Italian Open, an ATP Tour Masters 1000 event, is scheduled to take place from May 8-19.