Alcaraz happy to see Sinner back in Rome, confident of his own fitness after injury
The Spaniard said he is 100 percent after missing Msdrid with an adductor issue
Carlos Alcaraz was all smiles at the Foro Italico on Thursday, delighted to be back after missing the Madrid Masters due to injury and equally happy, he said, to see Jannik Sinner back on Tour after the completion of his three-month doping ban.
The Spaniard has been consistent in his backing of world No 1 Sinner, who accepted a three-month ban from Wada for what he argued, successfully, was an accidental doping incident in which a banned drug entered his system via a massage from his physio, who had used the drug to treat a cut of his own.
“Honestly, I’m really happy to have him around again,” said Alcaraz, who will begin his campaign at the Rome Masters against Dusan Lajovic. “It’s been three months. Obviously for him was tough and I’m pretty sure was super long. But yeah, just I think it wasn’t a better place to come back than here in his home, for him here in Rome.”
Hopefully I’m going to meet him in the final
Alcaraz said he had seen Sinner and expressed his happiness to have him back. And on Thursday, he told reporters he hoped they would play each other in Rome.
“We are in different sides of the draw; hopefully I’m going to meet him at the final,” he said. “But I want to say is I’m real happy to see him, his team around,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy watching him playing again, his matches. For the people I think is great.”
No fitness concerns
Alcaraz missed Madrid due to an adductor injury, his preparations for Roland-Garros interrupted, just as they were last year. Twelve months ago, he went on to win the title in Paris for the first time and he’s confident he will be right at the top of his game just when he needs to be.
“I’m really happy to be here in Rome,” he said. “Is the second time that I’m going to play here, so I’m excited. The practices was great so far. Yeah, I’m in a good shape. I’m 100 percent ready to start the tournament. So I just can’t wait for tomorrow.
“Last year was even more difficult. But here, yeah, I couldn’t play Madrid. It was a special tournament for me, which it was the same for me not able to play there. But I could play really good tournaments, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, good matches. I stopped a little bit. I just try to recovered from the injury, which I wasn’t worried at all.
“So right now, yeah, I have confidence. The practices has been well. Just excited to start the tournament. I think my level is in a good spot.”
