Italian as opponent

Nadal comeback in Barcelona, Alcaraz has to cancel

Rafael Nadal competes in Barcelona(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Following his withdrawal from Monte-Carlo, tennis star Rafael Nadal will return to the tour next week in Barcelona. Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, is still struggling with a persistent injury. 

The 37-year-old Spaniard remained in the draw for the clay court tournament and was drawn to play Italian Flavio Cobolli in the opening round. The 22-time Grand Slam winner, who has triumphed twelve times in Barcelona, was present at the draw on Saturday. It is Nadal's first match since the beginning of January.

Nadal had previously foregone the first clay court tournament of the season in Monte-Carlo, fueling speculation that his career would soon come to an end. "My body just won't allow it," wrote the former world number one on X, formerly Twitter. The sporting highlight of this stage of the season is the French Open, which begins in Paris at the end of May and at which Nadal is the record winner.

Alcaraz cannot defend his title
Due to a long-term hip injury after the Australian Open in January 2023, Nadal had canceled all tournament appearances. This year, the Spaniard made his comeback ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year in Brisbane (including a victory over Dominic Thiem), but was injured again there and has not played a match since. The Spaniard had already announced last year that 2024 would most likely be his last year on the tennis tour.

His Spanish compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, had to cancel his participation in Barcelona due to an injury to his right arm and will therefore not be able to defend his title. The world number three had already missed the tournament in Monte-Carlo due to the injury.