22-time Grand Slam champion suggests all is not as it seems as new reason given for Carlos Alcaraz pulling out of Madrid

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Carlos Alcaraz made a blistering start to his clay-court season, winning nine of his first ten matches on the surface.

Having failed to pick up either Sunshine Double title for the first time in four years, Alcaraz arrived on clay with a point to prove.

He did just that, as Alcaraz won the Monte-Carlo Masters, beating Italian star Lorenzo Musetti, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in the final.

Carrying that momentum forward, Alcaraz reached the final of the Barcelona Open, coming up short against Holger Rune in straight sets.

Picking up an injury in the final, Alcaraz then withdrew from the Madrid Open, a tournament he’s won twice before.

Speaking ahead of the 21-year-old’s return to action at the Italian Open, one ATP legend has given his verdict on Alcaraz’s injury.

Todd Woodbridge questions Carlos Alcaraz’s injury and says his decision to withdraw is just ‘timing’

Speaking on the Australian Open TV YouTube channel, 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion Todd Woodbridge shared his thoughts on the world number three’s injury.

“The [Carlos] Alcaraz pullout for me is just timing,” he said.

“It’s just to regenerate, he had a great run, a win, and a final. You can’t keep playing at the level he was.”

When host Matt Trollope pointed out that Alcaraz had suffered an injury at the Barcelona Open, Woodbridge partly dismissed the claim and suggested the Spaniard will already be happy with his Roland Garros preparation.

“Yeah, supposedly,” said Woodbridge.

“Seriously, though, yes, if he gets a tweak, then he has got to take a rest, but he would be happy with his prep [for the French Open]. He would be very happy.

“You get the body back into shape, and you just charge up again. It’s a bit like the EV, you have to put it in. You can’t let it get too low.”

Many had speculated he could miss the tournament in Rome due to injury, although it now looks as though Alcaraz could be fit for the 2025 Italian Open.

The Spaniard has played in Rome just once before, in 2023, where he won one and lost one of his two matches.

• 2023 Italian Open 3R – Carlos Alcaraz lost to Fabian Marozsan, 3-6, 6-7
• 2023 Italian Open 2R – Carlos Alcaraz beat Albert Ramos Vinolas, 6-4, 6-1

Alcaraz’s defeat to Fabian Marozsan was considered by some to be the ‘Upset of the year’ as he lost in straight sets to the world number 135.

The four-time Major champion will certainly be hoping for a better performance in 2025, should he be fit to compete in the Italian capital.

Has anyone performed better on clay in 2025 than Carlos Alcaraz?

Alcaraz has won nine matches and reached two finals on the red stuff this year, as he looks in great shape ahead of the Italian and French Open tournaments.

However, there are several players who have won more matches on clay than Alcaraz in 2025.

The Argentine pair of Sebastian Baez and Francisco Cerundolo lead the way, having played a full clay-court schedule in 2025, including the tournaments in South America.

Cerundolo has impressed on European clay and is one of the eight remaining players left in the Madrid Open draw.

Producing a shock in the fourth round, Cerundolo knocked out top seed Alexander Zverev to set up an intriguing quarterfinal clash with Jakub Mensik.

Cerundolo has certainly looked the part on clay this year, but it’s his fellow Madrid Open quarterfinalist, Musetti, that shares a 90% win rate with Alcaraz on the surface.

Musetti proved he can compete with Alcaraz on clay, taking the first set off of him in their Monte-Carlo final, before falling to defeat in three.

The Italian is being tipped by many to win his maiden Masters 1000 title in Madrid, and could be a real danger at Roland Garros later this month.

Only time will tell if Cerundolo or Musetti can stop Alcaraz from defending his French Open title in June, but it’ll certainly be something to look out for.

The 2025 French Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 25.