Carlos Alcaraz INJURY Update, Underarm Serve Drama & More | 5 SETTER

**Mike** (0:06)
What's up, Chuckers? Producer Mike here. This is the Served 5-Setter, your weekly roundup of all things racket sports, five stories in 10 minutes or less. But before we get into it, please hit subscribe on YouTube and give us a follow on your favorite podcast platform so you can stay up on all things Served. We really appreciate the love and support. That said, today is April 17th, 2026, and here's what we've got for you. An Underarm uproar, Roland Garros makes it rain in a record-setting trophy sale, plus the NCAA almost gets there. But first, we are starting in Barcelona, where the reigning Australian Open Champion just hit the brakes. Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Barcelona Open with a right-wrist injury just 48 hours after losing the Monte Carlo Masters final to Yannick Sinner, a loss that dropped him from world number one to world number two. Carlos got through a first-round win over Oto Vertanen on Tuesday, but needed the trainer at 5-4 in the first set. By Wednesday, the test came back worse than expected. Addressing the local media in Spanish, Carlos made it clear that this was a health call, not a tactical one, saying, I have to listen to my body, listen to what's best for me, and won't harm me in the future. No timeline was given for a return to the courts. Carlos said he's heading home to recover as quickly as possible, and the clock is ticking. He is set to defend his Rome title in just a few weeks, with the Italian Open starting May 4th, ahead of the French Open's May 24th start. Some quick perspective on how much tennis this guy has played in the past 12 months. Since his title runs in Rome and at the French Open last year, Carlitos is 69-6, yes, 69-6, and has spent 168 hours on a tennis court, or seven days, if you're counting and good at math like I am. Carlos has said all year that defending his French Open title is the priority, which is why the Barcelona withdrawal, frankly, might be the smartest thing he's done all clay season. Here's to hoping he is 100 percent by Roland Garros, but if he is not, Sinner's career slam conversation starts to get a little bit louder.
On to set number two and we stay in Barcelona because the crowd wasn't just upset about losing Carlos. Nuno Borges, the Portuguese world number 52, had a 6-4 lead in the second set tiebreak against Tomás Martín Echeverry. That is Match Point, Barcelona's Pista Rafa Nadal, and Borges does this.
That's right, an Underarm Ace on Match Point. Echeverry didn't get a racket on it, put his hands on his hips, walked to the net, delivered possibly the frostiest handshake we've seen thus far of the clay season in the Catalan crowd booed.
So here's the debate we've been having here in the Served War Room. Is the Underarm Serve tactical genius or is it disrespectful? On one side, it is the rules. Guys like Sinner and Alcaraz are standing 10 feet behind the baseline to return serves. We should punish them. So you tell us, Chuckers, the poll is live on the newsletter this weekend. Underarm Serve, great tactic, unsportsmanlike, but acceptable, or should it be banned? We'll get Andy's reaction on Tuesday's episode, so stay tuned.
Now, on to set number 3, and Paris is printing Moula. Roland Garros announced this week that the 2026 prize money is jumping 9.5%, bringing the total purse to 61.7 million euros, or $72.7 million, making it a $6.2 million jump from last year. The singles winners will take home $3.3 million. Runner-ups will haul in $1.66 million, but the real number, $102,000. That is what the first-round losers will take home. I don't know about you, but sign me up for taking an L on the red clay. Even with this bump, Roland Garros is still not on top of the slam pay-race. The US. Open paid out $90 million last year. The Australian Open hit a record $80.3 million a couple months ago, and Wimbledon dished out around $72.7 million USD in 2025 Couple other quick notes from Paris before we move on. Roland Garros has announced that they will be honoring Léa Monfils with a wild card and a tribute night as he plays his final Roland Garros. The man is a Paris institution, so if you are going to be there, don't miss it.
On to set number 4 and we're heading to the auction house. Borris Becker's 1989 US. Open trophy, the trophy he lifted after beating Ivan Lindell in four sets, just sold at auction this past Sunday for $357,546.
That's now the most expensive tennis trophy ever sold at public auction. The only piece of tennis memorabilia that's gone for more is Novak Djokovic's 2012 Australian Open winning racket, which sold for $540,000 earlier this year. Now this is a tough one because Borris Becker didn't choose to part ways with this trophy. He lost it in bankruptcy proceedings back in 2019 For years it had been on loan to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Then the creditors came calling. Whoever bought it now owns the only US. Open Men's Singles Trophy from the Open Era ever to hit public auction. Interestingly enough, the $357,000 this trophy just sold for is more than the $300,000 in prize money Becker earned for winning the trophy in the first place.