"Carlos Alcaraz has a mental scar tissue" - Steve Johnson and John Isner give verdict on Spaniard skipping South American Swing for Rotterdam

American ex-pro Steve Johnson recently gave his take on Carlos Alcaraz's concern. According to the 37-year-old, the Spaniard has been worn down by injuries and is now cautious, aiming to avoid setbacks that could force him into another grueling recovery process.

Alcaraz's decision to play on indoor hard courts instead of the South American clay courts this year has panned out well, as he's one win away from clinching his maiden indoor title. He usually competes in the Argentina Open and Rio Open, but this time, he opted to participate in Rotterdam instead and is set to play in the Qatar Open next week.

According to the American ex-pros Steve Johnson, John Isner, and others, Alcaraz decided to miss out on the South American swing because of his fear of not getting injured again.

In the latest episode of Nothing Major Podcast, Steve Johnson gave his perspective on how the past injuries have impacted Alcaraz's scheduling decisions.

"He can be better on one surface like most of us would pick in that scenario! He can win any tournament, any surface, any country, name it but maybe he has a little mental scar tissue, he did roll his ankle down in the south of the golden swing last year. Maybe that's on his mind. He doesn't wanna get hurt again which is I would say a silly reason not to go but for him, just doesn't matter! He has picked his schedule a year ago," the ex-pro said (4:58 onwards).

John Isner, on the other hand, echoed Sam Querrey's verdict and turned down opinions of Alcaraz's limited adaptability on different surfaces, saying:

"He can play on all surfaces. But I don't think he's better on clay than he is indoor hard. I think you're splitting hairs if you would say one surface is better than the others," Isner said.

Carlos Alcaraz has had a fair share of injuries throughout his career. The Spaniard missed the Australian Open 2023 after hurting his leg during a training session, disrupting the momentum he built after winning his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open.

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Carlos Alcaraz highlights concerns around players' well-being as he targets maiden indoor title

Carlos Alcaraz at the ABN AMRO Open - Day Six - Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz recently reiterated his thoughts on how the current playing conditions in events could physically harm players. After his opening-round win over Botic van de Zandschulp in Rotterdam on Wednesday, February 5, the Spaniard took a firm stance against the issues, saying:

“I think there were a lot of injuries last year, a lot of players with elbow or shoulder injuries. They need to change something. I know they’re going to change it. Every week, practically every week we have different balls, different conditions, so it’s difficult to adapt to it," he said.

The 21-year-old assured fans of his well-being, making it clear that he hasn't taken any toll of injuries in the ongoing season so far.

“I have not had physical problems because of it so far, I work every day to be in shape, right now I’m fine," the 21-year-old added.

Carlos Alcaraz is now gearing up to play the championship match against Alex De Minaur in Rotterdam on Sunday, February 9. With this challenge ahead, the Spaniard is just one win away from clinching his first-ever indoor title.