Worried about Carlos Alcaraz: 'Same muscle where I had the injury'
Not only did Carlos Alcaraz lose the final of the Rio de Janeiro ATP 500 event to Cameron Norrie , the Spaniard was also plagued by injury concerns. It is still unclear whether the second in the world rankings will fail again.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
Feb 27, 2023, 10:15 am
It was a curious, high-class, sometimes even absurd final that Cameron Norrie and Carlos Alcaraz fought on Sunday evening (CET) in Rio de Janeiro. With the better ending for the Briton, who took revenge for the defeat in the final in Buenos Aires exactly seven days earlier.
However, the physical problems that apparently plagued Alcaraz from the middle of the second set played a not insignificant part in this. The Spaniard fought self-sacrificingly, hit some absurd winners almost from the start, but had to admit defeat in three sets after a rollercoaster ride.
Alcaraz with physical ailments
The big question after that was undoubtedly that of Alcaraz's physical condition. "In the end, when you play like you do today, problems arise and you notice something," said Alcaraz when asked about the problems . "To prevent that, you ask the physiotherapist to bandage your leg, but I was having pain in the same muscle that I injured last month. It's tough. I tried to play at my best level despite that setback ."
The injury undoubtedly affected his game, he became more aggressive and risked even more from the baseline. More than necessary, as Alcaraz emphasized. "I tried to be more aggressive and get the points faster, but against an opponent like Norrie, who is very strong, it's difficult to win. When you take so many risks, you end up making a lot of mistakes, and that influenced me a lot."
At the moment it was unclear whether Alcaraz would actually be able to start at Acapulco's ATP 500 event. In any case, the Spaniard did not jump to conclusions: "I don't know at the moment. It's something we have to evaluate with my doctor and physio," said Alcaraz. "We'll have to wait and see how severe the hamstring injury is and see if I can play in Acapulco without taking too many risks." One thing is certain: He will give everything to be able to start in Acapulco.