Alcaraz Left in Awe of Nadal After Injury Halts Clay Streak in Barcelona

Carlos Alcaraz’s nine-match clay-court winning streak came to a frustrating end in the Barcelona Open final, but the Spaniard’s main concern wasn’t the result, it was a nagging leg issue that could affect his Madrid Open preparation.Fresh off winning the Monte Carlo title, Alcaraz was aiming for a third Barcelona crown in four years. But the 21-year-old ran into a resilient Holger Rune, who handed him a 7-6, 6-2 defeat on Sunday. The match turned in the second set, when Alcaraz took a 2-1 lead before calling for a medical timeout to treat a right leg issue. From there, Rune seized control.”That’s what happens when you play so many matches and have so few days to rest,” Alcaraz explained afterward. “It’s so demanding and you have to give 100% every day. Having played a tournament like Monte Carlo and arriving in Barcelona with few days to adapt is really tough.”Despite the setback, Alcaraz remained optimistic about competing in Madrid this week. “We’ll have two days off… I’ll talk with my team, we’ll do some tests, but I’m confident it won’t affect me in Madrid.”The reigning Roland Garros champion used the opportunity to heap praise on Rafael Nadal, the last man to win both Monte Carlo and Barcelona in back-to-back weeks, a feat he achieved in 2018.”I bow at the feet of Rafa because of what he did week after week,” Alcaraz said. “You have to respect that. Once you experience this swing, you appreciate what Rafa did much more, how difficult it is to be 100% physically and mentally week after week.”With Madrid and Rome still to come before Alcaraz defends his French Open title, the young star has time to recover but the rigors of the clay season are starting to bite.