After falling in three sets to American Mackenzie McDonald in Delray Beach on Friday night, Juan Martin del Potro has announced that he won’t defend his title in Acapulco.

The World No.4, who wore heavy strapping on his right knee during his quarter-final with McDonald on Friday, says he needs to rest the knee and hopes to be fit to play at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in early March.

Juan Martin Del Potro has announced he has withdrawn from Acapulco...He won the tournament last year...Said his knee needs rest for Indian Wells #ATP

— John Horn (@SportsHorn) February 23, 2019

Del Potro on his injured knee.."The doctor says if I want to be 100% it will need time. But I don't want to be at home anymore watching the tournaments on TV because I had this in the past & it was really bad to me. But in this condition it's not easy to play my best level" #ATP

— John Horn (@SportsHorn) February 23, 2019

Del Potro fractured his right patella last October at Shanghai and played his first tour-level matches this week at Delray Beach. He won two rounds but needed more tape on the knee each round. On Friday he was hobbled and it was clear that he was not moving anywhere near 100 percent.



"The doctors say I need time if I want to be 100 per cent, but I don’t want to be home watching the tournaments on TV,” Del Potro told ATPWorldTour.com. “I’ve done that before and it was really bad for me,” he said. “I wanted to do a big effort tonight. I fought until the last ball and had many opportunities, but it’s hard to win matches when you can’t move at 100 per cent."