Monte Carlo Masters: Carlos Alcaraz pulls out due to injury in right arm

Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Monte-Carlo Masters, just one day before he was scheduled to face Felix Auger-Aliassime in his opening match.

The world number three raised injury concerns when he strapped his right forearm during tournament practice sessions. Alcaraz announced his late withdrawal in a social media post on Tuesday. “I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible and I cannot play,” he wrote.

After a troubling training session on Monday, during which the 20-year-old encountered difficulty with his forehands, Alcaraz was unable to grip the racket properly and predominantly resorted to using the slice on his forehand, suggesting issues with his forearm.

As a result, Lorenzo Sonego will step in as a lucky loser to compete against Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday. Alcaraz has withdrew from the Monte-Carlo Masters for the second year running. Last year, the two-time Major winner missed the event due to post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and back pain. It also means Alcaraz has yet to win a match in Monte Carlo. His single appearance came in 2022, when he gained a bye into the second round before losing to Sebastian Korda.

Alcaraz will now aim to recuperate for next week’s Barcelona Open, where he holds the title of defending champion for two consecutive years. Additionally, he currently reigns as the champion of the Madrid Masters, having won the last two editions of the tournament. Recently, the 20-year-old ended an eight-month title drought in Indian Wells, successfully defending his crown by defeating Daniil Medvedev in a rematch of the 2023 final. Although he suffered a loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, there were no indications of injury during the hard-court swing.