World number two Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz retired from the Rio Open on Tuesday after suffering a right ankle injury early in his opening match against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
Alcaraz, the top seed in the singles draw, was facing Brazilian wild card Thiago Monteiro in the first round. During the first game, Alcaraz returned a serve and began running laterally back to the middle of the court.
Monteiro aimed his next shot behind Alcaraz, and when the Spaniard tried to stop on a dime, his ankle rolled and he fell to the ground.
The retirement at 1-1 meant Monteiro advanced to the second round where he will face his compatriot Felipe Meligeni Alves for a place in the quarterfinals.
The Spanish player said his doctors said the injury was not serious but he does feel pain when he walks and will have medical scans on Wednesday.
Monteiro helped Alcaraz return to the bench, where he got his ankle taped. Alcaraz attempted to continue the match, winning the first game but being broken in the second.
Alcaraz won the Rio Open in 2022 and finished runner-up last year when he lost the final to Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
The 2022 U.S. Open winner and 2023 Wimbledon champion is one of the biggest stars in men’s tennis, and it remains to be seen if his ankle injury will be severe enough to sideline him for any length of time.
Rio Open: Carlos Alcaraz Retires From Tournament Due To Ankle Injury
