"I was struggling a bit at home" - Carlos Alcaraz reveals details of his illness ahead of Rotterdam debut

Carlos Alcaraz recently opened up about falling ill ahead of his journey to Rotterdam for the 2025 ABN AMRO Open. The Spaniard makes his debut at the tournament on Tuesday, February 4.

Alcaraz was most recently in action at the Australian Open, where he suffered a crushing 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals on January 21. Following his exit, he returned to Murcia to rejuvenate and spend time with his family.

Things didn’t go as planned for Carlos Alcaraz, though, as he caught a cold upon his arrival from Melbourne to Spain due to a drastic change in weather. In his pre-tournament press conference at Rotterdam, he said:

"I took a few days off. I spent a few days at home – different weather; it was tough. I caught a cold."

The 21-year-old said he struggled to get some much-needed practice time due to the setback.

"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 said.

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Carlos Alcaraz on downtime with family ahead of Rotterdam campaign: "Spending time at home is always great"

Alcaraz pictured with his family at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships - Image Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz’s physical issues persisted during his on-court practices after his Rotterdam arrival. The Spaniard was seen wearing a nasal strip to help with breathing amid the cold conditions in the city.

Despite the struggles, he remained upbeat, assuring that he was “mentally fresh” after reconnecting with his loved ones. In the aforementioned press conference, he said:

"But I always say spending time at home, doesn’t matter if you’re sick, it’s always great – having your family there."

"It’s like, you’re fresh mentally to travel again and face another tournament, so that’s what I did," he added.

Carlos Alcaraz, who is seeded first at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, is vying for a 17th career title this week and his first on indoor hardcourts. He has drawn a tough first-round opponent in Botic van de Zandschulp.

The Dutchman, ranked No. 84, has received a wildcard entry into the ATP 500 event. In their most recent encounter—the second round of the 2024 US Open—van de Zandschulp famously handed the former champion a shocking 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 loss.

Alcaraz has, meanwhile, sent out a warning, expressing his desire for “revenge” against the Dutchman in front of his home crowd on Tuesday.