Carlos Alcaraz reveals he didn’t hit the ball with full strength during his Madrid Masters opener as he wanted to test his forearm and see how it would react.
Before starting his clay season in Madrid, Alcaraz withdrew from the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona due to a right forearm injury. In Madrid, Alcaraz arrived at the tournament early but his participation still wasn’t guaranteed.
But on Friday, Alcaraz decided to give a shot to Madrid and he started his run by demolishing Alexander Shevchenko 6-2 6-1. On paper, it was a great win and the best possible start but the Spaniard was definitely cautious throughout the match not to exaggerate his injury.
Alcaraz’s injury update
“I didn’t hit my forehand 100%. I hit it softer than I used to hit it, but I think it helped me, you know, to, you know, let’s say, stay relaxed, and, you know, I think more than the shots that I have to hit,” Alcaraz said.
“But the first thing that I was thinking about when I was stepping on the court is to stay healthy, to not feel anything in the forearm. That’s the main thing for me. And then it was the shots or the level.
“I was really happy to not feel anything in the forearm, and after that, I could increase my intensity. I could increase my forehand a little bit, and it was great for me this match.”
Carlos Alcaraz© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
After ousting Shevchenko, Alcaraz is set to play against Thiago Seyboth Wild. When Alcaraz and 63rd-ranked Seyboth Wild face off, it will be their first meeting.
Heading into the match, Alcaraz definitely enters as the favorite but a lot will also depend on how his forearm reacts today. If Alcaraz’s forearm responds the way it did against Shevchenko, the second-seeded Spaniard should have no problems progressing into the round-of-16.
It remains to be seen how will Alcaraz do today against Seyboth Wild.
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