Carlos Alcaraz made a triumphant return to the ATP Tour, defeating Dusan Lajovic in straight sets in the third round of the Masters of Rome. After being sidelined with an adductor injury that forced him to miss the Madrid Open, the Spanish star showcased dominance in his first match since the Barcelona final. Despite concerns about his fitness, Alcaraz displayed no signs of discomfort.
The 20-year-old, who last played competitively in late April, admitted he had doubts about his performance heading into his return. However, those concerns quickly dissipated as he overpowered Lajovic.
After the match, Alcaraz acknowledged that it was a great start to the tournament and admitted he was surprised by his performance. “Today was a great match for the start of the tournament. I surprised myself, honestly,” said Alcaraz. “I expected a worse match from my side”.
“I’m just really happy,” he continued. “The most important thing was the injury and how it was going in the match, if I was going to feel it or not, and today was great. I moved great today without any pain, so it was a great day”.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates match point against Dusan Lajovic of Serbia in the Men’s Singles Second Round match during the Rome Open. (Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Alcaraz reflects on his recovery process
Alcaraz suffered the adductor injury during his final against Holger Rune at the Barcelona Open. The Spaniard revealed that his recovery required a mix of rest, focused work with his physio, and gradual preparation to ensure he was ready for the grind of the clay court season.
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“I took some days without doing anything, just recovering with the physio,” Alcaraz explained. “I didn’t do any physical preparation or movement at all. When I went home on Monday after coming back from Madrid, I did a test to see how it was, and it was almost perfect. So then I started to practice. It was a mix of taking it easy and, of course, preparing for Rome”.
What’s next for Alcaraz?
With his victory over Lajovic, Alcaraz extended his head-to-head record against the Serbian to 5-0. His next challenge will be a fourth-round clash against Laslo Djere on Sunday, May 11.
Alcaraz acknowledged that his match against Lajovic was a test to evaluate his form after the injury, a test he feels he passed with flying colors. “The match was a test for me, and I’ve passed it,” Alcaraz noted. “I tried to be more comfortable, to see how I came back from the injury. It was a great day at the office. Hopefully, tomorrow and Sunday will be even better”.
