Carlos Alcaraz injury: Why the Spaniard has only himself to blame for his Barcelona Open decision

Carlos Alcaraz lost the Barcelona Open final against Holger Rune, but even more concerning than losing the match and the trophy is the fact that he should have retired from that match. Alcaraz barely moved around in the final few games due to a leg or groin injury that seemed to surface at some point during the match.

It’s a serious problem—and it could become an even bigger issue—because these types of injuries often require extended recovery periods. This is certainly not the time of the season when a player wants to be sidelined for weeks, and unfortunately, Alcaraz has only himself to blame.

There are several reasons but most of them stem from his scheduling choices. The Spaniard is somewhat known as a crowd-pleaser, always eager to meet the expectations placed upon him. While that kind of attitude can be admirable, in this instance, it led him to make a mistake that could end up costing him dearly.

After playing an intense and successful week in Monte-Carlo, the smartest decision for Alcaraz would have been to skip Barcelona and head straight to Madrid. That extra week of rest would have allowed him sufficient time to recover from his Monte-Carlo run and adequately prepare for the Madrid Open.

Instead of taking the necessary break, Alcaraz opted to compete in Barcelona—a tournament that, while prestigious, does not hold the same weight as the Madrid Masters and is not an essential addition to his growing trophy cabinet. He had won it before, but because of his desire to please the fans, he felt compelled to return.

To the surprise of no one, he performed well and managed to reach the final. However, in that decisive match against Holger Rune, Alcaraz was clearly struggling physically, which contributed to his defeat. While it remains unclear exactly when the injury occurred, it could have been avoided altogether had he simply skipped this event.

But that was not the path he chose, and now there is a real possibility that he could miss Madrid—or, even worse, additional upcoming tournaments. Another questionable decision he made was continuing to play despite his clear physical limitations.

During the final, Carlos Alcaraz was barely able to move properly, yet he still chose to push through instead of retiring early. He likely did so to avoid disappointing the crowd, but this decision could have aggravated the injury even further. If he ends up missing more tournaments than initially expected, he will have only himself to blame.

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What’s next for Carlos Alcaraz?

Carlos Alcaraz - Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2025 - Day Six - Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz will undoubtedly hope to compete in Madrid if he can achieve full recovery, but at this point, no one really knows the extent of his injury. During the match, he appeared to tell the physiotherapist that he was dealing with an issue in either his adductor or groin area. Groin injuries, in particular, are notoriously slow to heal and often require weeks of rehabilitation.

The Spaniard has yet to provide any official statements regarding the injury, nor has there been any concrete information released on what exactly happened. However, the way he struggled in the final suggests that the issue was not minor. Moreover, the fact that he needed a medical timeout during the match further indicates that the injury could be serious.

If it turns out to be a prolonged issue, missing Madrid may be only the beginning of Alcaraz’s troubles. Nobody can say for certain at this point, but the expectation is that he will play in Madrid—even if it means competing under pain medication or something similar.

The only scenario in which he doesn’t play in Madrid is if the injury worsens significantly and he is forced to step away. Alcaraz has a history of notoriously downplaying his injuries, which at times have turned out to be much more serious than he initially claimed.

This approach has backfired more than once, so hopefully, by now, he has learned his lesson. Roland Garros is not far away, and risking that event simply isn’t worth it.