Carlos Alcaraz: From falling down the stairs at Barcelona Open, world No. 2 aims for first title defence
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Published 18/04/2023 at 08:09 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz is defending champion at this week's Barcelona Open, which will be without Rafael Nadal after he withdrew as he continues to recover from injury. Alcaraz, 19, will be joined in the field by Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Jannik Sinner, and will be looking to defend a title for the first time in his career. Last year in Barcelona he fell down some stairs before going on to win.
‘Physically, I feel very good’ – Alcaraz ready to give 100% in Barcelona
Carlos Alcaraz has already accomplished many things in his career.
He’s got to world No. 1. He’s won a Grand Slam. He’s won titles at every level. He’s beaten both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
He is yet, though, to defend a title.
Twice he has lost the final as defending champion, once in the semis. At this week’s Barcelona Open he will have a fourth chance to tick that off his to-do list.
Alcaraz won the tournament in impressive fashion a year ago, taking out top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals and then winning the semi-final and final in the same day following rain delays.
He starts as the strong favourite to win the title this week, especially with 12-time champion Rafael Nadal not playing as he continues to recover from injury.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is also not in the field as he plays instead in Bosnia & Herzegovina, so Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Jannik Sinner will be the top seeds behind Alcaraz.
Sinner has twice previously foiled Alcaraz’s bid to defend a title for the first time.
Sinner got the better of Alcaraz in the Croatia Open final in Umag last year as he won 6-7(5) 6-1 6-1, and then ended his title defence at the Miami Open last month with a 6-7(4) 6-4 6-2 win in the semi-finals.
With their head-to-head record locked at 3-3, Sinner, who made the semis in Monte Carlo last week, could be the biggest threat to Alcaraz in Barcelona.
Alcaraz’s only other opportunity to defend a title was in Rio de Janeiro in February. Alcaraz was bidding to win back-to-back tournaments but having beaten Cameron Norrie in the Buenos Aires final the previous week, he then lost to the British No. 1 in the final in Rio.
Alcaraz says his title defence is not on his mind as he starts his bid to win again in Barcelona.
“We’ll be thinking about everything, apart from defending the title,” he said.
“Barcelona is a place I love playing in, where I have really amazing memories, not just from last year, but also from playing when I was young.
"I’m going to try and avoid that pressure to defend the title. I’m a player who looks at the route to the final, but only briefly.
"But my focus is on the first round, and it will stay there until I’ve played it."
Alcaraz’s route to last year’s final served up plenty of drama.
After taking out Tsitsipas in a thrilling match he then saved two match points in the semi-finals against Alex de Minaur. The match was carried over to Sunday due to rain and Alcaraz followed up by beating Pablo Carreno Busta in the final.
While Alcaraz might not be keeping close tabs on his path to the final, he will be taking care with each step along the way, having almost being forced to pull out of the tournament last year due to injury after falling down some stairs.
The accident happened before the semi-final and Alcaraz wasn’t able to finishing his preparation for the match with De Minaur.
“I was about to warm up before the semi-final on Sunday, and I was going down the stairs and I fell down from the stairs a bit,” he explained to Tennis TV.
“I couldn’t finish the warm-up on court and it was a tough moment for me because I thought I was not able to play the semi-final and to get through that. It was tough for me.
“[But there was] No pain because of the adrenaline, when you are playing you forget everything and you are focused on playing. Of course with my doctor and physio they did some stuff to help me not feel the pain.
“I am now really careful when I am on the stairs!”
Alcaraz opens on Tuesday, April 18 against world No. 79 Nuno Borges.
His fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut is a potential third-round opponent while fifth seed Frances Tiafoe could await in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz has not competed since the Miami Open, having pulled out of last week’s Monte Carlo Masters due to injury. He says he is raring to go again.
"Physically, I feel very good. I have been preparing to give 100 per cent to play the best possible and I'm really looking forward to playing here in Barcelona."
Alcaraz can’t get back to world No. 1 this week as he is defending champion in Barcelona so has no points to gain.
Alcaraz will be in a similar position when the Madrid Open starts next week as he won the title last year by beating Djokovic, Nadal and Alexander Zverev in back-to-back matches.
Alcaraz is currently 470 points behind Djokovic in the rankings.
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