Carlos Alcaraz has a clear decision he needs to make after losing in the Monte Carlo Masters final.
Alcaraz was beaten by Jannik Sinner 7-6(5), 6-3 in the Monte Carlo Masters final in the first match he had played against his great rival this year.
This result was particularly significant, as it meant that Alcaraz was dethroned as world number one by Sinner.
Will Jannik Sinner win the French Open?
Alcaraz will understandably want to return to winning ways after his defeat in the Monte Carlo Masters final, but he needs to avoid making the same mistake as last year.
Carlos Alcaraz needs to withdraw from the Barcelona Open
The clay court season is a busy and compact part of the calendar, and Alcaraz could be about to play six consecutive weeks of tournaments.
Alcaraz is scheduled to compete next week at the Barcelona Open, where he is a two-time former champion and is one of his favorite tournaments on the calendar.
Last year, Alcaraz was one win away from winning his third Barcelona Open title, but a right abductor injury prevented him from competing at his best level against Holger Rune, in his only defeat of the entire clay court season last year.
The 22-year-old was subsequently then unable to play the Madrid Open, which is another one of Alcaraz’s favorite tournaments.
Alcaraz still won the French Open last year, but he needs to make better scheduling decisions if he wants to give himself the best chance of doing it again.
Unfortunately for Alcaraz, two of his favorite tournaments in his home country are in back-to-back weeks, but it is clear what he needs to do.
Alcaraz should give himself a week off after the Monte Carlo Masters, and then return for the Madrid Open, where he will have a day in between each of his matches, a luxury he will not have at the one-week tournament in Barcelona.
Carlos Alcaraz is more likely to be world number one for longer if he skips the Barcelona Open
As well as Alcaraz prioritising his chances of winning the French Open, the world number one ranking is another key reason that he should withdraw from the Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz could actually regain the world number one ranking from Sinner if he wins the Barcelona Open, but if he wants to keep it for a longer period he should focus on the Madrid Open.
How long will Jannik Sinner stay as world number one?
Sinner will begin his third reign after winning the Monte Carlo Masters…
As a result of having to withdraw from the Madrid Open last year, Alcaraz can gain as many as 1000 points at the Madrid Open this year, which is the same as Sinner.
| Carlos Alcaraz’s ranking | |
| Most points he can gain from playing in Barcelona | 170 |
| Most points he can gain from playing in Madrid | 1000 |
However, Sinner has already hinted that he will miss the Madrid Open this year, having previously struggled at the tournament, leaving a big opportunity for Alcaraz.
If Alcaraz does decide to miss the Barcelona Open, then he can return to world number one at the Madrid Open if he reaches the final if Sinner does withdraw from the tournament as expected.
The Barcelona Open main draw gets underway on Monday, April 13, with Alcaraz drawn to play against qualifier Otto Virtanen in the first round.
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