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The quarterfinals of the Madrid Open 2024 saw both of the top two men's seeds Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz exit from the competition in the space of an hour. Alcaraz was sent packing by an inspired Andrey Rublev, while Sinner withdrew due to a hip injury.
Both stars were suffering from injury niggles coming into the tournament, and with the French Open on the horizon, questions have been raised about their fitness and availability for the Italian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have fresh injury concerns after the Madrid Open
Carlos Alcaraz had a delayed start to his clay season after he withdrew from the Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open due to a forehand injury. The 20-year-old started feeling pain in his forehand during a practice session in Monaco shortly before the Monte Carlo Masters.
Despite his claim that he has no pain, Carlos Alcaraz admitted that he still has doubts about his forehand.
"I still don't trust 100% the forearm. I have doubts, it's just in my head. I love competing, so from time to time I want to go hard and I think about it," Alcaraz said as quoted by Reuters.
"I'm happy with my game and with the ball's trajectory. I'm moving well, feeling good and I have no pain. I just need time to let these thoughts go away," he added.
Those doubts were on display during the Spaniard's clash against Andrey Rublev in Madrid, where Alcaraz looked a little rusty throughout the match. His forehand was not at its usual free-flowing best and that could be due to his forehand problems of the recent past.
Similarly, World No. 2, Jannik Sinner had to withdraw from the Madrid Open due to a hip injury. The Italian star was seen struggling with his right hip during his third-round win against Pavel Kotov and decided to withdraw before his quarter-final clash against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Sinner revealed that he thinks his injury is not serious but opted to take precautions before it aggravated. The Italian further added that he and his coaching staff are working towards finding a solution for the injury.
"I have been struggling a little bit with my right hip. We're trying to find a solution and I don't think it's anything serious. Sometimes I feel it more like today and some days are a little bit better," Sinner said.
With Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both currently not at their physical best, their participation at the Italian Open 2024 could be under doubt. The duo have already suffered injuries during the French Open in the past and these fresh injury issues will be warning signs ahead of Roland Garros.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have a history of injuries at the French Open
Jannik Sinner suffered an injury to his left knee during his fourth-round clash against Andrey Rublev at the French Open 2022. The Italian had won the first set 6-1, before needing treatment on his knee during the second set.
Sinner ended up losing the second set 6-4, before deciding to retire after being 2-0 down in the third. The Italian was visibly heartbroken as he could not make it to the quarterfinals despite dominating the Russian before injury.
Like Sinner, Alcaraz has suffered at the French Open too. The Spaniard faced Novak Djokovic in the semi-final in 2023 and with both players at a set level, Alcaraz needed treatment as his legs cramped up. The hot and dry conditions in Paris were too much for the Spaniard and his level dropped considerably in the third and fourth sets. Djokovic ended up winning the match 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 on his way to the title.
With an injury history at the French Open, both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will look to avoid a similar outcome at Roland Garros 2024.
Should Sinner and Alcaraz risk competing at the Italian Open before Roland Garros?
Sinner and Alcaraz's Italian Open participation should depend on how their body feels. Over the years, the Italian Open has proved to be a perfect launch-pad for Roland Garros success. Since 2000, Rafael Nadal has shown that a title win in Rome can go a long way in deciding a player's fate at the French Open.
Rafael Nadal has done the Italian Open-French Open double eight times in his career, while no other player has managed to do it even once since his debut. This is an indication of how form and momentum is an important factor for success on clay courts.
There is no doubt that playing the Italian Open before the Roland Garros is a big advantage, as history suggests. However, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will have their injury records at the back of their minds and avoid any risks before the Grand Slam in Paris.
With a Grand Slam title already to their name, both the young stars will be desperate for French Open glory. However, their physical condition will have a big say in their title aspirations.
