Carlos Alcaraz finding ways to win in Madrid without hitting forehand "on my 100%"

On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz notched his 13th consecutive Mutua Madrid Open win.

The No. 2 seed had no trouble with a player who has proven himself capable of producing on clay courts in sinking Thiago Seyboth Wild, 6-3, 6-3. After being sidelined from Monte Carlo and Barcelona with a right forearm injury, the two-time major winner is encouraged by his physical progress going into the fourth round.

“I'm really happy with the things that I'm doing in the forearm. I'm really happy to be competitive without pain, but I'm still focused every day in that,” Alcaraz told reporters after capitalizing on four of his six break points against Seyboth Wild.

Specifically, Alcaraz referenced one important shot he’s been cautious about ramping up with this tournament marking his 2024 European clay-court debut.

“I'm not hitting my forehand on my 100%, or in the way that I'm used to hitting before feeling something in the forearm,” he shared. “I'm just focused to hitting the forehand as much relaxed as I can and going in front, let's say.”

The 20-year-old is looking to complete a rare three-peat at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Despite his incredible success here, Alcaraz still sees rival and friend Jannik Sinner as the player to beat in the Spanish capital.

“I don't know how it's gonna be, his game, with the altitude, but his first round was impressive,” he said. “Yeah, of course, I see him as a favorite player to win every tournament he goes.

“I'll try to (not) let him win more titles, but it is difficult right now.”

Alcaraz is one of just two competitors to defeat Sinner this season, as the Italian has jumped out to a 26-2 record. The world No. 3 next faces No. 23 seed Jan-Lennard Struff in a rematch of last year’s final, won by Alcaraz, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Sinner plays his third-round contest Monday, taking on Pavel Kotov.