Alcaraz returns with injury and hopes to compete with Sinner update at the Italian Open
Roma – Carlos Alcaraz said he has recovered from a muscle injury that forced him to exit the Madrid Open and is “100% ready for the Italian Open” where he hopes to update his competition with Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz, suffering from upper leg disease, disturbed him in the Barcelona Open final, coupled with an injury to his left leg.
“I’m in good condition. I’m ready to start the game 100%,” Alcaraz said in Rome on Thursday.
Alcaraz opened on Friday against Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic. During his debut last year, he lost to Fabian Marozsan, then No. 135, in the third round.
But Alcalaz then won a back-to-back Grand Slam title at the French Open and Wimbledon.
“Last year is even harder,” Alcalaz said, noting that he had won the Monte Carlo Masters this clay season and reached the final in Barcelona, where he lost to Holger Runes.
“I’m not worried at all,” Alkaraz said. “Now I have confidence. The approach (left) is good. … I can’t wait for tomorrow. I think my level is good.”
The Rome Championship also marks the return of the first-ranked sinner in a three-month doping ban.
The Sinner and Alcaraz are in the relative aspect of the draw.
“I’m really happy to be with him again,” Alkaraz said. “Obviously it was tough for him, and I’m pretty sure it was super long. … For me, for tennis, for fans, he was able to play again.
“Hopefully, I will meet him in the finals,” added Alkaraz, a third-place finisher.
