Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from Italian Open with right forearm injury

ROME: Third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz announced his withdrawal from the Italian Open on Friday because of the right forearm injury that already prompted him to pull out of tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. The announcement comes two days after Alcarazs bid to win a third straight Madrid Open title ended with a three-set loss to Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. I felt some pain after playing in Madrid, some discomfort in my arm. Today I did some tests and I have a muscle edema in my pronator teres, a consequence of my recent injury, Alcaraz wrote on his social media channels. Unfortunately I will not be able to play in Rome. I need to rest so I can recover and play 100% pain free. In Madrid, Alcaraz played with a compression sleeve on his right forearm. The Spaniard will celebrate his 21st birthday on Sunday. The Italian Open starts next week. Alcaraz the reigning Wimbledon champion and the 2022 US Open champion is now due to play next at the French Open, which starts May 26. He was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the semifinals last year at Roland Garros. Second-ranked Jannik Sinner and fourth-ranked Daniil Medvedev are also dealing with physical issues. Sinner withdrew before his quarterfinal in Madrid because of a hip injury and Medvedev retired after losing the first set of his quarterfinal in the Spanish capital to Jiri Lehecka during which he required treatment to his upper right leg. Top-ranked Djokovic, who did not play in Madrid, is expected back in Rome. Alcaraz made his only appearance in Rome last year, when he was beaten by qualifier Fabian Marozsan in his second match.

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Alcaraz withdraws from Italian Open due to injury

World number three Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from Italian Open due to arm injury, impacting his claycourt season

Champion Aryna Sabalenka sets up Swiatek rematch in Madrid Open final

MADRID, SPAIN: Defending Madrid Open champion Aryna Sabalenka produced a brilliant comeback from a set and a break down to beat Elena Rybakina and reach the final on Thursday. The Belarusian second seed triumphed 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) and will face world number one Iga Swiatek on Saturday in a rematch of last year's final . The clinical Swiatek earlier eased past American Madison Keys with a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 victory. In the men's draw third seed Daniil Medvedev retired injured from his quarter-final clash with Jiri Lehecka. Kazakh Rybakina dominated a below-par Sabalenka in the first set with two breaks, but faced far stiffer resistance in the second after going a break up in the third game. Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka put heavy pressure on the fourth seed's serve and eventually cracked it to pull level at 4-4. Rybakina hit back instantly but seemed rattled when serving for the match and world number two Sabalenka broke again for 5-5 and then claimed the next two games to force a deciding third set. The players exchanged holds with just one break point reached -- Sabalenka staying firm for a 6-5 advantage -- before the tie-break. Sabalenka, 25, sealed her victory with a typically powerful serve that Rybakina could not control. The big-hitter had lost three of her last four clashes against the 24-year-old but emerged triumphant as they met on clay for the first time. I don't know how, but somehow I was able to stay alive in the second set, said Sabalenka, aiming for a third Madrid Open title in her third final. It was a tough match, she's a great player, it was incredible tennis tonight. Rematch Swiatek has a 6-3 record against Sabalenka but in their only match in the Spanish capital, the latter triumphed in three sets a year ago to claim the title. Dominant on clay, Swiatek barely put a foot wrong against Keys, making just eight unforced errors in the match to leave the 29-year-old American with virtually no chance. I'm really happy that I had such a solid game today, Swiatek said on court after reaching her 11th WTA 1000 final. Madison is an amazing player with a really fast game and a big serve, so I wanted to focus on myself and I'm happy I was focussed. The top seed, triumphant at Doha and Indian Wells, started in unforgiving form, taking the first set in 31 minutes. Keys was more competitive in the second but Swiatek took it with two breaks. Medvedev hurt Russia's Medvedev struggled through to the end of the first set against Lehecka with an apparent upper thigh problem, losing it 6-4 before retiring. The Czech progressed to his first Masters 1000 semi-final, where he will face Felix Auger Aliassime, who received a walkover after top seed Jannik Sinner withdrew Wednesday with a hip problem. If I were to choose the way how to win this match, it wouldn't be like that, said Lehecka. Medvedev took an off-court medical time-out after the fifth game, all holds of serve, and when he returned clearly had problems moving freely around the court. The world number four saved two break points to hold for a 4-3 lead as Lehecka floundered, despite playing through obvious pain. The Czech, who knocked-out Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, settled down and capitalised on Medvedev's woes to break decisively in the ninth game for a 5-4 lead. Medvedev won just four of the last 16 points before deciding to call it a night, with fans left disappointed. The other men's quarter-final set for Thursday had been cancelled after Sinner's withdrawal. The 28-year-old Medvedev is the defending champion at the Italian Open, which starts next week, while the French Open, the season's second Grand Slam event, gets underway in just over three weeks' time. It would be good to come back (to Rome) after winning last year, but (I) just need to see what it is, because right now I basically don't know if it's very serious, just serious, or not serious -- no idea, Medvedev told reporters. Taylor Fritz will face Andrey Rublev in the other semi-final on Friday, after the Russian ousted home favourite Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday.

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