Carlos Alcaraz has shared an update on his health after taking to the court wearing something unusual.
The world No. 3 made his debut at the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam on Tuesday night, beating Botic van de Zandschulp in three sets.
Alcaraz had previously revealed that he suffered a cold ahead of the tournament. And he sported a black nose strip to help him breathe better during the contest.
It’s not the first time the Spaniard has worn a patch across his nose. Alcaraz also used a neon pink one during last year’s ATP Finals, where he struggled with an illness and lost in the round-robin stage.
The 21-year-old picked up a cold when he arrived home in Spain following the recent Australian Open, and it still seems to be bothering him, as he played his opening match with a strip of black tape across his nose.
Alcaraz was also spotted blowing his nose during the match, and he later confirmed that he still hadn’t fully recovered. “I’m not feeling 100 per cent well yet,” he said.
“I caught a cold when I was at home, but I’m feeling better every day.”
The top seed in Rotterdam also clarified that the nose strip didn’t speed up his recovery. “It’s for my health,” he added.
When Alcaraz used the strip in Turin last November, it was a method to help him breathe. The tape is placed on the bridge of the nose to dilate the nostrils, making it easier for air to pass in and out.
The world No. 3 had already opened up on his health setback ahead of the tournament. “I spent a few days at home after Australia, but I got a cold,” he said after arriving in Rotterdam.
“I was struggling a little bit at home. I could only train for two days and then I had to rest until the cold got better.”
Alcaraz was also seen coughing and sneezing in his pre-tournament practice session with Daniil Medvedev. But he fought the illness to get revenge over Van de Zandschulp, who stunned him in the second round of last year’s US Open.
The top seed was in trouble when the tricky Dutchman took a 5-3 lead in the first set and later had a set point. But Alcaraz stormed back to take it in a tiebreak. He dropped the second set but dominated in the decider to win 7-6(3) 3-6 6-1.
Alcaraz later said: “I knew I was going to have some tough moments, because the first round of a new tournament is never easy.
“I think Botic, with the whole crowd in his favour, was going to show a very good level of tennis, I was convinced of that.”
Alcaraz will now face either Andrea Vavassori or newly-crowned Montpellier champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round.