Carlos Alcaraz claimed he is playing pain-free at the Madrid Open after an arm injury that hampered the start of his clay-court season, but the defending champion still has some concerns about his forehand. The 20-year-old successfully defended his Indian Wells title last month and advanced to the Miami Open quarterfinals before hurting his right forearm during a practice session in Monaco.
Alcaraz, who missed the Monte Carlo and Barcelona tournaments before returning in Madrid, said he changed his style significantly based on the suggestion of his instructor “Juanqui” — Juan Carlos Ferrero. Also read: Emma Raducanu suffers heavy first-round loss in Madrid
“When I want to hit a powerful forehand, I consider how my arm will react. “It’s on my mind,” the world number three remarked after defeating Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 6-3 in the third round on Sunday. “Juanqui urges me to go with a relaxed hand, so I do. I still don’t fully trust the forearm. I have doubts, but they are just in my head.
You’ve seen me push my forehand to 200% multiple times throughout matches. Juanqui assures me I don’t have to go that far. The second-seeded Spaniard, who is aiming for his third straight championship in Madrid ahead of next month’s French Open, will face Jan-Lennard Struff in a rematch of last year’s final. Also read: Simona Halep Reveals The ‘Disastrous’ Outcome of Her Doping Ban Following Her Comeback in Miami