Carlos Alcaraz suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Holger Rune in the final of the 2025 Barcelona Open. It was his first loss in Barcelona after 14 straight wins in Barcelona. Following the loss, the Spaniard addressed the media and expressed thoughts on some of the relevant topics. He also provided the detail about the injury he suffered, and whether it will curtail some play time or not.
The World No.3 had taken a slight edge in the opening set by getting a break, but an inspired Rune eventually got the break to force a tiebreak, wherein he battled to clinch the set 8-2. Alcaraz’s hopes of a comeback were derailed early in the second set when he sustained a psoas injury that required him to leave the court for treatment.
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How Long the Injury Will Keep Him Out?
After enduring the loss, the 4-time Grand Slam winner explained how the injury was sustained. He further said that tests will provide clarity on how much the damage has been caused but at the same time he expressed optimism, hinting that nothing is serious and he will be fit for the Madrid Open.
“The second set started very tough, with long, intense rallies. There were a couple of rallies that made me feel a little sore in my abductor muscle, my right psoas: when you feel a little discomfort, the alarm bells go off a bit and it’s hard to stay focused on the game. You worry about how your physique, your health, is going to be, and it was hard for me to continue and maintain that level. From what I’m noticing and feeling now, I think it’s going to be two days of rest, and even if I hadn’t hurt myself, I would have had them anyway. We’re going to talk to my medical team, we’re going to run tests, but I believe and trust that it won’t harm me for Madrid.”
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Carlos Alcaraz Realises the Demanding Nature of the Game
Carlos Alcaraz played a total of 10 matches in the last 12 days, and heading into the Barcelona Open final, he was on a 9-match winning run. The loss not only ended his momentum but also caused an injury. He was asked whether the immense regularity takes a toll on body. To which he made it known that it is the nature of the sport, and demanding games will keep on appearing. He also mentioned fellow Spaniard and Tennis legend Rafael Nadal's name, expressing respect for the physicality he showcased during his prime years.
“As I said, having played so many demanding matches with so few days of rest is what it takes. I didn’t think I was going to have any physical discomfort; you don’t think about that when you go into a match, but I knew it would be a tough, demanding match, and I had faith in being able to hold on and play good tennis, which I still think I did. This is super demanding; you have to give 100% every day, and after playing in Monte Carlo and arriving in Barcelona with just a few days to spare, that’s always complicated. I’m here to throw myself at Rafa’s feet for what he’s done week after week. You have to appreciate that, but it’s something you keep in your head because of how difficult it is week after week.”