Carlos Alcaraz and Cam Norrie—opposing finalists over past two weeks—withdraw from Acapulco

MATCH POINT: Norrie outlasts Alcaraz in Rio Open final

Carlos Alcaraz and Cam Norrie won't meet in a third final over three weeks. That's because the Spaniard and the Brit each withdrew from this week's Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco.

After colliding in clay-court finals in Buenos Aires (won by Alcaraz) and in Rio (won by Norrie), it was far from certain that either player would play a third consecutive week—particularly with the Indian Wells and Miami Masters evens on the horizon. It was even less certain after a hamstring injury affected Alcaraz in Sunday's Rio final, which he led 7-5, 3-0, 30-0 before capitulating.

On Tuesday it was made official: Alcaraz is out of the 500-level hard-court tournament with the aforementioned right hamstring, while Norrie withdrew due to fatigue.

Alcaraz's pullout, in particular, casts another shadow over March's Sunshine Double. The BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open will already be without 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal (leg injury), major draw and Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios (knee injury) and potentially another 22-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic (U.S. vaccination requirements). Rising star Sebastian Korda has also withdrawn from Indian Wells, but hopes to return in time for Miami.

The omissions will give other players significant opportunities, of course, but missing Alcaraz—who was unable to compete in the Australian Open as US Open champion and world No. 1—would be a downer across the board.