Alcaraz withdraws from Italian Open due to injury

World number three Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Italian Open as he continues to recover from an arm injury, the twice Grand Slam champion said on Friday.

Having successfully defended his Indian Wells title in March and reached the Miami Open quarter-finals, Alcaraz injured his right forearm during a practice session in Monaco and he continues to struggle with the problem that has derailed the start of his clay court season.

The 20-year-old Spaniard’s bid to become the first player to win three straight Madrid Open titles also failed as he suffered a 4-6 6-3 6-2 loss to Russian Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

“I felt some pain after playing in Madrid, some discomfort in my arm,” Alcaraz posted on social media platform X.

“Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Rome. I need to rest so I can recover and play 100% pain free. I am very sorry, I will see you next year.”

The Italian Open, an ATP Tour Masters 1000 event, runs from May 8-19.

Meanwhile, world number four Daniil Medvedev faces an anxious wait to know the full extent of an injury that forced him out of the Madrid quarter-finals on Thursday, as the Russian joined a group of top players struggling with fitness issues before the French Open.

The 28-year-old had treatment on the upper part of his right leg while leading Czech Jiri Lehecka 3-2 in the first set and again two games later. He went on to lose the set 6-4 before telling the umpire he could not continue.

Medvedev is scheduled to defend his Rome title next week but he said he had no idea how long he could be out for.

“Hopefully for sure tomorrow or day after, because normally you need time, MRI to see what it is, and if it’s something five days, two weeks, I have no idea.”

The French Open begins on May 26.