Carlos Alcaraz raring to go, welcomes Jannik Sinner back from doping ban

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz arriving for a training session ahead of the ATP Rome Open, on May 7. PHOTO: AFP

UPDATED May 09, 2025, 05:06 AM

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ROME - Carlos Alcaraz said he is back to his best for the Italian Open after suffering injuries in April while the Spaniard also welcomed back world number one Jannik Sinner, who is poised for a comeback on home soil after serving a doping suspension.

Alcaraz withdrew from the Madrid Open in April after struggling with hamstring and groin injuries he had sustained during the Barcelona Open final, opting to take a break so he could recover well before his French Open title defence.

Alcaraz, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on May 5, received a bye into the second round in Rome where he will play Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.

"I'm really happy to be here in Rome... The practices were great so far. I'm in a good shape, I'm 100 per cent ready to start the tournament," Alcaraz told reporters on May 8.

"I couldn't play Madrid. It was a special tournament for me... But I could play really good tournaments in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, good matches. I stopped a little bit to try to recover from the injury, which I wasn't worried (about) at all.