Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Davis Cup Finals, where he was set to represent Spain. The world No. 1 picked up a thigh injury during the championship match at the ATP Finals on Sunday, where he lost to Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz has since travelled to Bologna for the team event, where he underwent scans with the Spanish Tennis Federation doctor and confirmed he had an edema
The world No. 1 was expected to end his season with the Spanish team at the World Cup of men’s tennis but now says that he is heading home heartbroken. In a statement, Alcaraz wrote: “I’m absolutely gutted to announce that I’m not going to be able to play with Spain in the Davis Cup in Bologna…
“I have an edema in the hamstring of my right leg, and the medical recommendation is not to compete. I’ve always said that playing for Spain is the greatest thing there is, and I was so excited to be able to help fight for the Salad Bowl. I’m heading home feeling heartbroken…”
The Spanish team is due to face Czechia in the quarter-finals of the World Cup of men’s tennis on Thursday. The winning team advances to Saturday’s semi-finals to play either Argentina or Germany. The final will be held on Sunday.
Alcaraz made the trip from Turin to Bologna on Monday and was set to join the Spanish team, led by captain David Ferrer, in a press conference. But the presser was postponed to Tuesday.
Jaume Munar and Pablo Carreno Busta are now likely to contest the two singles matches on Thursday in the absence of the injured world No. 1. Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez will play in the doubles.
Spain’s second-highest-ranked player, world No. 14 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, is not in the squad. Davidovich Fokina previously claimed that the captain informed him that he would not be selected, but Ferrer said the 26-year-old cast doubt over whether he’d be able to play this week.
Alcaraz appeared to tweak his thigh during the first set of Sunday’s championship match in Turin. The 22-year-old called the physio and received a medical timeout. After dropping the first set, Alcaraz had his thigh strapped up. He went on to lose 7-6 7-5 to Sinner.
The six-time Major winner’s reported Davis Cup withdrawal comes days after Alcaraz called for huge changes to be made to the team event, as other top stars, including Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, decided not to represent their country this year after a long season.
Alcaraz said: “I agree that they got to do something in this event, because I think playing every year, I mean, it is not as good as it might be if you’re playing every two or three years. I think if the tournament is played like every two years or every three years, the players, the commitment of the players, it’s going to be even more because it’s unique, it’s different. You’re not able to play every year.”