Carlos Alcaraz gets rid of nasal strip during practice ahead of Rotterdam 2R

Carlos Alcaraz got rid of his nasal strip during his on-court practice ahead of his second match at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open. The Spaniard was dealing with a prolonged cold before starting his campaign.

Alcaraz advanced to the Round of 16 in Rotterdam after avenging his 2024 US Open loss to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-1 on Tuesday, February 4. The Spaniard arrived in the city a few days before his campaign to prepare for his debut.

In his pre-tournament press conference, Carlos Alcaraz revealed that he’d been battling a cold since his return to Spain after his Australian Open exit.

"I took a few days off. I spent a few days at home – different weather; it was tough. I caught a cold," he said. "So I was struggling a little bit at home. I could practice just two days. And then I had to rest to see if the cold gets better."

He promptly wore a nasal strip to help alleviate his breathing issues through his opening-round match on Tuesday. When asked whether his cold was getting better after his win, the four-time Grand Slam champion responded, saying, “More or less.”

"I'm feeling better every day. Hopefully (I’ll) get better in the next few days. It (the nose strip) isn’t any fashion thing. Its for my health," he told the media.

During his practice, hours before his second-round match on Thursday, February 6, Carlos Alcaraz did away with the black strip and appeared to be in good spirits. It remains to be seen if the Spaniard retains the strip during his evening-session match.

Check the picture below:

Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam - Image Source: Sportskeeda

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Carlos Alcaraz faces Andrea Vavassori for a spot in Rotterdam 2025 quarterfinals

Alcaraz pictured at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open - Image Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz is chasing his 17th career title and first on indoor hardcourts at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam. The Spaniard was upgraded to the top seed position after defending champion Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal.

He is gearing up for a battle against Italian veteran Andrea Vavassori for a spot in the quarterfinals on Thursday, February 5. Vavassori, a doubles specialist, is competing at the tournament as a qualifier. After victories over local Niels Visker (7-6(2), 6-2) and Frenchman Geoffrey Blancaneaux (6-3, 6-4), he prevailed against former champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in the opening round.

Auger-Aliassime, who won his second title of 2025 just last week in Montpellier, was forced to retire mid-match due to an ingrown-nail injury in his right toenail. Vavassori was thus handed the victory after he clinched the second set 6-7(3), 6-4 (ret.).