World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz retired from his first-round match on the ATP Rio Open on Tuesday after rolling his proper ankle on simply the second level of the competition towards Thiago Monteiro.
Despite taking a medical timeout and having the ankle taped, the Spanish star managed to win the primary recreation. However, after dropping his serve within the second recreation, he referred to as it quits, including to what has been a disappointing 2024 marketing campaign up to now.
After the match, Alcaraz instructed reporters that withdrawing was a precaution. He additionally talked about that the physiotherapists who handled him had indicated that the harm “is not serious.”
“I spoke with the physiotherapist on the court, and we decided, together, that I would continue to see if it improved. It didn’t, so we preferred to be careful and withdraw as a precaution,” Alcaraz stated, including that he would have additional checks on Wednesday.
The two-time Grand Slam winner’s robust begin to 2024 included a four-set defeat by Alexander Zverev within the Australian Open quarterfinals.
Last Saturday, he fell to Twenty first-ranked Chilean Nicolas Jarry within the semifinals in Buenos Aires and hasn’t gained an ATP title since his gorgeous Wimbledon overcome Novak Djokovic final July.
Hopes that he may begin turning issues round in Rio – the place he lifted the trophy in 2022 and completed runner-up to Britain’s Cameron Norrie final 12 months – have been rapidly dashed.
He and 117th-ranked Brazilian Monteiro have been two factors into the match when Alcaraz’s proper foot caught within the crimson clay floor at Jockey Club Brasileiro, the place rain had delayed the beginning of play for 3 hours.
Four of the day’s tennis matches have been postponed till Wednesday, and the primary gamers to take the courtroom on Tuesday performed in misty situations.
“That had cleared by the point Alcaraz and Monteiro squared off, and Alcaraz stated courtroom situations have been to not blame.
“Those things happen, even more so on clay,” Alcaraz stated.
“It wasn’t a problem with the court; I got hurt in a change of direction, and that happens on this type of surface,” added the Spaniard, who was sluggish to rise after taking a tough fall, limping to his chair, and placing a towel over his face earlier than the coach arrived.
Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, seemed on with concern from the stands as Alcaraz, with a grimace and a slight limp, returned to motion and gained the opening recreation.
But after dropping his serve within the second, he opted to not proceed.
“It’s really sad to win in this way because I know how hard every player works to be ready for a tournament of this magnitude,” Monteiro stated.
“I just wish him a speedy recovery, that it’s nothing serious, or that it won’t affect his season,” added the 29-year-old left-hander, who improved to 2-0 towards Alcaraz, whom he beat within the spherical of 16 of the Melbourne-1 in 2021.
The harm comes with Italy’s Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner closing in on Alcaraz’s world No. 2 rating.
Alcaraz leads Sinner, who gained the Rotterdam title on Sunday, by simply 535 factors and has 1,000 factors to defend subsequent month on the prestigious hardcourt match in Indian Wells, California.
Source: www.dailysabah.com