Carlos Alcaraz lasted for just 10 minutes on court at the Rio Open as the world No. 2 was forced to quit after just two games after rolling his right ankle two points into his opening match.
The injury will do the Spaniard’s chances of trying to catch Novak Djokovic in the ATP rankings little good, with back-to-mack Masters 1000 tests in Indian Wells and Miami looming in March.
The Wimbledon winner is also due to play an exhibition in California against Rafael Nadal on March 3 before the Indian Wells start.
Alcaraz went over on the ankle only moments into the contest, but got a strapping and played on for one more game before packing it in to hand Thiago Monteiro the first-round win.
“Tomorrow I’ll have a test for my ankle and let’s see if it’s something serious or not,” Alcaraz said.
“I felt, I felt bad. That was the first impression I had. I mean, I was feeling pain once I fall down, so
“I thought that it was going to be difficult to continue playing if I was still having those feelings.”
He added: “After a few points it didn’t feel better. I was feeling the pain. I couldn’t move well, and I knew that it was going to be impossible to continue.
“I thought it was going to get worse if I kept playing for such a long match and that’s why I chose to retire.”
Alcaraz won the Brazilian title in 2022 and finished runner-up to Cam Norrie in 2023
Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz receives on court treatment before retiring after 10 minutes lay in Rio – by ATPTour.com
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