Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from Monte-Carlo Masters 2024 with injury: "I have been trying to recover until the last minute but I cannot play"

Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters due to injury, meaning the Spaniard will have to wait at least one more week to kickstart his European clay swing.

Reports emerged earlier that the World No. 3 was not fully physically fit in the lead-up to the Masters 1000 event. He was seen practicing at the tournament with his forearm heaving taped up, but was still expected to play his Round of 32 clash on Tuesday against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

However, the 20-year-old took to social media to announce his withdrawal, admitting that he waited until the last minute to make the decision as he wanted to see if he could play even with the injury. Unfortunately, the former World No. 1 could not recover in time, and had to decide in favor of ultimately not playing.

"I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible and I cannot play! 🥲 I was really looking forward to playing... See you next year!" Alcaraz said on Instagram.

Alcaraz missed last year's edition at Monte-Carlo also with an injury, and made the second round in 2022. The 2022 edition remains the only year the former World No. 1 has played at the event, meaning he has a surprising 0-1 win/loss record at the Masters 1000 event.

Auger-Aliassime, who was Carlos Alcaraz's second-round opponent, will now take on lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego instead.

Where will Carlos Alcaraz play next?

Carlos Alcaraz could be in action next at the 2024 Barcelona Open

Up next on Carlos Alcaraz's calendar is the ATP 500 Barcelona Open, where the Spaniard is the two-time defending champion. In 2022, Alcaraz won his maiden title at the event with a win over Pablo Carreno Busta in the final, while he took down Stefanos Tsitsipas in last year's final to defend his title in 2023.

The World No. 3 has quite a few points to defend during the clay swing, as he is the defending champion at the Madrid Open after Barcelona. He is also defending third-round points at the Italian Open in Rome, as well as semifinal points at the French Open.

The two-time Grand Slam champion has one title this year already, having won the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Alcaraz then made the quarterfinals of the Miami Open but lost to eventual runner-up Grigor Dimitrov.