Carlos Alcaraz stands at a crossroads ahead of the French Open. His journey this season has been a rollercoaster ride of success and setbacks. But it is not over yet. Struggling with his forearm injuries, Alcaraz gave a concerning update on his health before embarking on the Roland Garros event.

Carlos Alcaraz appeared for an interview with MARCA recently where the interviewer asked him, “Do you still have fear when hitting the forehand or do you feel liberated?” The Spaniard’s response revealed a mix of determination and caution. He began by saying, “No, I’m still a little scared. Hitting is going to take a while to go away. The feeling I have is that if I notice it once, it is enough to think about things. Every time I hit it 100% in training or games I have that hum in my head.”

It all started earlier this year. After clinching his first title of the season in Indian Wells, Carlos Alcaraz once again showed his prowess on-court in Miami by reaching the quarterfinals. However, the injury bug struck him in Monaco, where he hurt his forearm during a practice session. Since then, the 21-year-old has missed crucial clay court events. At first, it was Monte Carlos, then the Barcelona Open.

However, he tried to revive himself in front of his home crowd in Madrid. Sadly, his reign in Madrid, where he had won two times previously, came to a disappointing end after the quarterfinals. Soon, Carlos Alcaraz took to his X and wrote, “I felt some pain after playing in Madrid, some discomfort in my arm. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Rome. I need to rest so I can recover and play 100% pain-free.” 

After taking a short break, Alcaraz announced that he would be back in the French Open and had started his training, too. “I’m better. The training has gone quite well and without any discomfort,” he stated. However, Alcaraz further added, “I still wear the compression bandage, I am training with it and I am going to play with it, that is clear to me.” Armed with everything that he needs, Alcaraz also expressed his desire to win the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz thinks he has “options to win” to win the Roland Garros

The two-time Grand Slam champion is yet to win his first title in the Roland Garros. But the thirteen-time ATP title winner is hopeful to make an impact this year through his talent. While talking about his chances of winning this season, Carlos Alcaraz made a startling confession.

“I’m not going to say that I consider myself the favorite for Roland Garros, far from it, but I still think I have options to win it. There are many players who are on the list to win. My name is on that list, perhaps not the first, but the last. But I still think I have some options.”

Carlos Alcaraz’s battle with injuries is far from over. But even during tough times, his unwavering spirit propels him forward. As he progresses in the season, it will be interesting to watch the Spaniard’s performance in the upcoming tournaments.