If this previous Australian Open was bland on the lads’s facet, that is as a result of eventual champion Novak Djokovic was scarcely examined, besides by his personal leg. One of the few gamers who might have knitted Djokovic’s forehead was absent from the draw.
Carlos Alcaraz wound down 2022 in spectacular vogue, successful the U.S. Open and changing into No. 1 on the earth, however the teen was compelled to withdraw from 2023’s first main with a leg harm. “When I was at my best in preseason, I picked up an injury through a chance, unnatural movement in training,” Alcaraz wrote. “This time it’s the semimembranosus muscle in my right leg.” That’s one of many three muscular tissues that comprise the hamstring; I admire the specificity. Djokovic received the Open with ease, and wrenched again the No. 1 rating, which, as of this week, he has now held longer than any participant in historical past, male or feminine.
February is an odd month on the tennis calendar. It’s a post-Australia hangover, an eclectic smattering of smallish occasions that provide fast reps earlier than the massive exhausting courtroom tournaments kick off in March. There’s a quick clay stint stashed away in South America, and that’s the place Carlitos selected to return to competitors. In Buenos Aires, his first event in over three months, Alcaraz picked up proper the place he left off—steamrolling everyone. He received the title there, too rickety to deliver his finest stuff, but additionally too proficient for that to intrude with the outcomes.
Being too good at tennis ensures that you just will not get a lot relaxation from tennis. After successful in Buenos Aires, Alcaraz zipped straight to Rio de Janeiro, the place he fended off harder competitors—Fabio Fognini and Nicolás Jarry each grilled him earlier than sputtering out in third units—and prolonged his win streak to eight. Sunday’s Rio last, a rematch in opposition to Buenos Aires finalist Cam Norrie, was for each males the ninth match in 11 days.
That Rio last turned on a pivot. Alcaraz, imperfect however nonetheless feeling good enough to bop in his seat, led this match 7-5, 3-0, and 0-30 on return. That’s when Norrie flipped it round, aided by his foe’s bodily decline. During the second set, Alcaraz known as out the physiotherapist to have his proper thigh wrapped, however he remained a step sluggish. His group appeared to be calling for him to retire. Alcaraz as a substitute caught round and redlined: drop pictures, enormous cuts, even an underarm serve (that Norrie smacked for a winner). At his peerless ability stage, go-for-broke tennis can produce some gems…
…however even this teen genius couldn’t grit out an ATP 500 last on one leg in opposition to the No. 13 participant on the earth. He misplaced, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. Norrie, who upset Alcaraz in Cincinnati final summer season, can now boast a decent 2-4 report in opposition to a man he’ll be seeing an disagreeable quantity of within the years to return.
“It’s really tough to know right now,” Alcaraz mentioned after the Rio loss. “It’s tough to feel some pain in the same muscle that you had an injury [to] a couple months ago. I’m gonna take care about it with my doctor, with my physio, evaluate it … I really like Acapulco, I really want to go there and play in front of the Mexico fans. But healthy counts first.”
Alcaraz withdrew from Acapulco on Tuesday, citing a grade 1 hamstring pressure— once more with the specificity. He has an intimidating chunk of rating factors to defend within the coming weeks. This was the stretch of the calendar when he blew up final season: successful in Rio, making the semifinals at Indian Wells, then successful in Miami, Barcelona, and Madrid. It could be preferable to stay in a universe the place Carlos Alcaraz by no means obtained harm. But managing harm and fatigue is arguably his most essential undertaking within the a long time to return. He has the tennis just about down pat, by age 19 (have to be good). Now it is time to hearken to what his physique is telling him.
