"I don't know if I'll make it" - Carlos Alcaraz raises serious doubts regarding ATP Finals participation after injury at Paris Masters
Carlos Alcaraz now faces a test against time ahead of the 2022 ATP Finals. With just over a week to go until the year-end championship, the World No. 1 said that he is unsure about his participation after suffering an injury at the Paris Masters.
Alcaraz and his fellow 19-year-old Holger Rune were locked in an enthralling battle in the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday before the former called the on-court trainer with some visible discomfort in the abdominal region. A game later and just four points into the second-set tiebreaker, Alcaraz decided to retire from the match.
Speaking after the match, the Spaniard rang the alarm bell ahead of the ATP Finals, which being on Sunday, November 13. Alcaraz revealed that he is set to return home and get further tests done on the injury, after which he will take a call on his participation in Turin.
"I don't know if I'll make it to the Masters Cup (ATP Finals)," Carlos Alcaraz said to reporters in Spanish, according to Mundo Deportivo. "I have to go home, get tested and see the magnitude of the problem."
Alcaraz explained his reasons behind not persisting with the discomfort on the court on Friday and wasting no time before retiring, stating that he knew he would be unable to perform at his best and mount a comeback in the match from 3-6, 6-6 (1-3). The Spaniard did not want to aggravate the injury to the extent that it would become serious.
"I preferred to retire and take care of myself. I couldn't serve well and when I turned my body it bothered me in the abdominal area when I made some movements. To play this way, it is better to leave it. It is the second time that I have withdrawn and I always try to avoid it, but I did not want it to get worse," Alcaraz stated.
"I play a lot. If I had continued I would have had to stop for something more serious, and health comes first," he added.
"Holger was better today and deserved to win" - Carlos Alcaraz
Despite the match ending even before the conclusion of the second set due to Carlos Alcaraz's injury, the Spaniard praised his opponent Holger Rune for being better than him on the day. Alcaraz said that Rune deserved to win their quarterfinal match, before reiterating that he prioritized his health and had to retire even though it was a difficult decision.
"Holger was better today and deserved to win! It was difficult to withdraw, but I was scared of making it worse. Health comes first!" Alcaraz wrote on social media.
Holger was better today and deserved to win! 🤝🏻 It was difficult to withdraw, but I was scared of making it worse 🥲 Health comes first! @holgerrune2003 https://t.co/S1jqJRDgKp
The 2022 ATP Finals is set to be Alcaraz's debut at the prestigious tournament if he eventually makes it to Turin. If Alcaraz is forced to withdraw from the ATP Finals, he is likely to lose the World No. 1 spot to compatriot Rafael Nadal at the end of the season.