Alcaraz: "I will recover to defend my title at Indian Wells"
World number two Carlos Alcaraz says the sprained ankle that forced him to leave the Rio ATP Open will keep him sidelined for "a few days", but he will be ready to defend his title at Indian Wells following an exhibition against Rafael Nadal in Las Vegas.
"I have just had an MRI scan of my ankle following yesterday's injury," Alcaraz wrote on Instagram. "After meeting with my doctor and physiotherapists, the diagnosis is a grade II lateral sprain."
"I got a sprain which is going to prevent me from playing for a few days! See you in Las Vegas and Indian Wells!"
Alcaraz was injured at the second point of his first-round match against Brazilian wild card Thiago Monteiro, with his right foot getting stuck in the red clay of the Jockey Club Brasiliero.
After a brutal fall, he limped to his chair, where during a medical time-out a physio tapped his swollen right ankle. He came back to win the first interrupted game, but after losing his serve in the second, he decided to withdraw.
Alcaraz stated in his post-match press conference that physiotherapists indicated the injury was "not serious" and Wednesday's further examinations confirmed this.
He still intends to play an exhibition match for Netflix on March 3 in Las Vegas against Rafael Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments.
This encounter, which will be held at the Michelob Ultra Arena in the Mandalay Bay Resort, is part of Nadal's return to the courts after an absence of nearly one year due to injury.
At Indian Wells, the main draw will begin on March 6, where all the seeds receive a bye to the first round.
Alcaraz beat Daniil Medvedev 6/3, 6/2 in the final to win the title in the California desert last year and regain the world number one spot.
He became the youngest male world number one after winning the US Open at 19 in 2022, but his 2022 season was curtailed by an abdominal tear at the Paris Masters in November of the same year and he missed the 2023 Australian Open due to a hamstring injury sustained in training.
Last April, the 20-year-old also had to withdraw from the Monte-Carlo Masters because of back problems and arthritic pain in his left hand, but he won his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July.
The latest injury to Alcaraz comes as Italian Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner closes in on the world number two spot.
Alcaraz leads Sinner - who won the Rotterdam title on Sunday - by only 535 points and has 1,000 points to defend at Indian Wells.
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