Carlos Alcaraz’s injury has proved to be more serious than initially thought. The Spaniard was due to face Tomáš Macháč in the second round at the Barcelona Open on Thursday but has now made the decision to withdraw from the tournament.
Alcaraz needed to win the Barcelona Open to regain the world No. 1 ranking, but his early exit due to injury means that he will fall further behind Jannik Sinner when the ATP Rankings are updated next week.
Carlos Alcaraz Pulls Out of Barcelona Open Through Injury
Alcaraz suffered an injury scare during his first-round win over Otto Virtanen. He took a medical timeout during the match after experiencing pain in his right wrist but managed to see out the win in straight sets.
After undergoing tests on Wednesday, the seven-time Grand Slam champion canceled his practice session in Barcelona. A few hours later, he announced that he would not be able to take further part in the ATP 500 tournament.
“After seeing the results today, it turns out the injury is a little more serious than we all expected. I need to listen to my body and do what’s best for me so it doesn’t affect me in the future,” Alcaraz said at a press conference.
The news of his withdrawal was also shared by the Barcelona Open announcers. “Carlos Alcaraz has announced his withdrawal from the #BCNOpenBS after undergoing a test on his right wrist this morning. We wish you a speedy recovery and hope we can enjoy watching you play again soon,” the tournament’s message read.
Carlos Alcaraz anuncia que es baja del #BCNOpenBS, después de hacerse una prueba en la muñeca derecha esta mañana. ¡Te deseamos una pronta recuperación y esperamos verte de nuevo en la pista haciéndonos disfrutar con tu tenis!
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Carlos Alcaraz has announced his withdrawal… pic.twitter.com/Zz6QYIsBzX— Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (@bcnopenbs) April 15, 2026
The injury is a major concern for Alcaraz amid a busy run of tournaments on the ATP Tour. The Madrid Open, the next ATP Masters 1000 tournament, is scheduled for next week. It remains to be seen whether the 22-year-old will recover in time to take part in the event.
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz’s Brother Jaime Warned About the ‘Very Difficult’ Path Ahead by Mouratoglou
Alcaraz enjoyed a decent start to his clay-court swing at the Monte-Carlo Masters last week. He made the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, where he lost to rival Jannik Sinner. Having made the final in Barcelona last year, Alcaraz was hoping to win his home tournament for a third time this year.
With Alcaraz retiring from the Barcelona Open, Macháč advances to the quarterfinals, where he faces Lorenzo Sonego or Andrey Rublev.
