Carlos Alcaraz announces Italian Open withdrawal as injury flare-up casts shadow over French Open participation

Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the 2024 Italian Open just days after his Madrid Open loss.

Alcaraz’s European claycourt run hasn't panned out as well as he would've hoped. The Spaniard was expected to kick off his campaign at the Monte-Carlo Masters in April. However, he pulled out of the tournament with "an injured pronator teres" a day before his opening match.

Carlos Alcaraz was a no-show at the Barcelona Open the next week, where he was a two-time defending champion. Despite mounting injury concerns, the former World No. 1 competed at the Madrid Open, where he was aiming for a three-peat. Alcaraz’s run, though, was halted by Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, May 1.

On Friday, the Spaniard announced that he won’t be competing at the upcoming Italian Open, citing "muscle edema" in his pronator teres.

"I felt some pain after playing in Madrid, some discomfort in my arm. Today I did some tests and I have a muscle edema in my pronator teres, a consequence of my recent injury," Carlos Alcaraz wrote on social media.

"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," he added.

The Spaniard’s Italian Open withdrawal comes at a critical time, with the French Open just around the corner (May 26-June 9).

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"I have been much weaker mentally" - What Carlos Alcaraz said after his Madrid Open 2024 loss

Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2024 Madrid Open

Carlos Alcaraz was on an incredible 14-match winning streak at the Madrid Open when he was beaten by Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. With the victory, the Russian also snapped the Alcaraz’s streak of 24 straight wins in Spain.

The Spaniard, who defeated Alexander Shevchenko, Thiago Seyboth Wild, and Jan-Lennard Struff in the initial rounds, hinted at exhaustion following his loss.

"It has been a difficult day for me. The long and intense match against Struff took its toll on me because it had been a while since I had competed at that level, and today I woke up with soreness all over my body and my forearm there. I also have a cold," Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.

The World No. 3 also pointed that he was “mentally weaker” during his campaign.

"The main thing is that I have been much weaker mentally than normal. I became very complaining about not taking advantage of the opportunities," he added.

In 2024, Carlos Alcaraz has won just one title – a repeat at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. He came up short in his title defense at the Argentina Open, and failed to make a mark at the Australian Open, the Rio Open, and the Miami Open.