It will no doubt have served as a lesson to the 23-year-old, and some ominous comments made ahead of the Miami Open in March prove that this isn’t the first time Alcaraz hasn’t known when to stop.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion spoke to Vanity Fair while competing in Florida earlier this year, and stopped himself in his tracks while explaining just how much he’s struggled when he’s not taken a much-needed break.
“Over time, you grow aware of what you need. There’s been times in which I didn’t stop to take a break, and that led to me not playing well, or becoming injured, or…” he said, before pausing and deciding not to finish. “Let’s just leave it at that, that it didn’t end well.”
Alcaraz has been vocal about the lengthy tennis schedule. In 2024, he half-joked: “They are going to kill us in some way.” He’s also known for enjoying his time off the court, which includes a yearly trip to Ibiza in between the French Open and the grass season.
It’s all part of the world No. 2’s hopes of looking after his mental health. “I think it’s just as important, or more, than taking care of your body. There’s people who are, fairly so, obsessed with body aesthetics, but to me it’s just as important to take care of your head,” he added.
However, like anyone, Alcaraz and his game have also been affected by negative comments online. “Now, anyone can easily leave a comment, you can harm an athlete with just one comment,” he admitted.
The 23-year-old’s comments about taking a break are especially revealing, given that he has now been sidelined by a concerning injury. Alcaraz had been excited to get back on the clay and shared his intention to play a full schedule, made up of one-week tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, two-week Masters 1000s in Madrid and Rome, and Roland Garros.
He finished runner-up to Jannik Sinner in Monaco, and then beat Otto Virtanen in Barcelona. Alcaraz received a medical timeout towards the end of the first set of his match against Virtanen and had his wrist strapped, but played on and won 6-4 6-2. However, he pulled out of the tournament the following day.
The world No. 2 has not confirmed when he will return to competition, but he is signed up for the ATP 500 grass-court event at the Queen’s Club ahead of Wimbledon, which takes place in mid-June.