PARIS : World number three Carlos Alcaraz returns to the French Open hoping to banish memories of the severe cramps that stopped his title charge in 2023 but will first need to address doubts caused by a recent injury when he plays J.J. Wolf on Sunday.
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his quarter final match against Russia's Andrey Rublev REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo
"I'm not feeling any pain in practice, when I step on the court. But I'm still thinking about it when hitting forehands. I'm a little bit scared about hitting every forehand 100 per cent," said Alcaraz, who also skipped the Italian Open in Rome in the lead-up to Roland Garros. Several other big names also get their campaigns underway, with four-times major champion Naomi Osaka opening proceedings on the main showcourt against Italian Lucia Bronzetti.
"I'm usually nervous during those first-round matches. So I'm going in there trying my best and seeing if all the lessons I've learned so far have adapted me into a better player."
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