Tennis
ESPN News Services 17d

Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from Barcelona Open

Tennis

Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Barcelona Open because of a right arm injury that also forced him to miss this week's Monte Carlo Masters, tournament organizers said Sunday.

The 20-year-old two-time Grand Slam champion from Spain won the Barcelona tournament in 2022 and 2023. Alcaraz, ranked No. 3 in the world, has taken one title this year, at Indian Wells last month.

"[He] has suffered from the injury sustained in Monte Carlo, and did not have a good feeling in his training on Sunday and, despite having tried until the last moment, he will not be in the Barcelona Open," organizers said on social media platform X.

Alcaraz hasn't played in a tournament since losing to Grigor Dimitrov in the Miami Open quarterfinals last month.

The main draw of the Barcelona Open starts Monday, with the tournament concluding April 21.

Rafael Nadal, a 12-time champion in Barcelona, is drawn to face Flavio Cobolli in the first round but has not confirmed he will play. Nadal had hip surgery last summer and has played only three competitive matches in 2024 -- in Brisbane before skipping the Australian Open. He also played an exhibition match against Alcaraz in Las Vegas in early March.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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