The reigning US Open champion, who missed the Australian Open with hamstring issues, was set to face Mackenzie McDonald in the opening round of the ATP 500 event in Acapulco.
Besides his injury frustrations, the teenager has enjoyed an impressive start to 2023, going 8-1 after triumphing in Buenos Aires and being runner-up to Cameron Norrie in Rio.
The latter event saw Alcaraz aggravate a hamstring problem, which has subsequently prevented him from building on that momentum this week.
"Unfortunately I won't be able to play in Acapulco," the Spaniard posted on his social media channels. "I have a grade 1 strain in my right hamstring that will keep me out for several days, according to the tests we did this morning.
"I'm really sad I can't compete here, but now it's time to think about recovering and being ready as soon as possible. I hope to see you all soon!"
Norrie also confirmed he will not compete in Acapulco, the British number one citing fatigue as the reason for his absence.
"Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from Acapulco," he said in an Instagram story. "It's one of my favourite tournaments, so it's really tough for me to withdraw."
The Czech, ranked 96th in the world, will play either number three seed Sara Sorribes Tormo or Magdalena Frech in the last eight after sealing a 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 win against Bronzetti.
Anna Kalinskaya is also through after following up her impressive first-round win against eighth seed Qinwen Zheng by beating another Chinese opponent, Xinyu Wang 6-4 0-6 6-4.
The Russian had a mixed outing and looked to be on the ropes after losing the second set, but recovered and will go up against either fourth seed Camila Osorio or Hailey Baptiste in the quarter-finals.
One last eight match that has been finalised will be between Qiang Wang and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova after they beat Harmony Tan and Anastasia Potapova respectively.
Wang overcame her French opponent – who had eliminated second seed Madison Keys – 6-4 6-2, while Schmiedlova also won in straight sets against Potapova, 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
Zverev was enraged during a doubles clash with partner Marcelo Melo against Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara, after the umpire over-ruled a decision from the line judge.
That subsequently handed Glasspool and Heliovaara match point in the super tie-break, which was decided by an ace on the next serve.
Zverev quickly walked off and smashed his racquet against the umpire's chair three times, before shouting at the umpire that he had "destroyed the whole f****** match" and striking the chair again.
The German was then withdrawn by the ATP due to "unsportsmanlike conduct" ahead of a second-round singles meeting with Peter Gojowczyk.
The Olympic champion has apologised for his actions, explaining his regret at letting his fans, the tournament, and the sport that he loves down, and Djokovic believes Zverev will learn from his mistake.
"I saw the video, I saw Sascha's [Zverev] statement," Djokovic told reporters at a news conference after cruising into the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
"I think he said it all in that statement. He realises that it was a mistake. I understand the frustration. Sometimes on the court, you feel in the heat of the battle lots of different emotions, different things happening in your head.
"I've made mistakes in the past where I've had tantrums on the court, so I understand what the player is going through. Of course, I do not justify his actions, but that statement has handled it in the right way.
"He said he made a mistake and his actions were not appropriate. I think that the disqualification decision was not too harsh, I think it was correct under the circumstances.
"Of course, it can be harsh for a player to get disqualified from a tournament. I know a year-and-a-half ago, I had something - I can't say similar - but I was disqualified from a grand slam after unintentionally hitting the line umpire.
"I realised that it was a mistake and I had to take it. Hopefully, he can reflect on that and not let something like that happen again in his life. I'm sure that he's going to approach it maturely."
Djokovic enjoyed a much calmer outing in Dubai, where he overcame Karen Khachanov in just 98 minutes 6-3 7-6 (7-2) to tee up a quarter-final tie against qualifier Jiri Vesely.
He was then keen to stress that Zverev is not the first player to produce a raging response when on the court, and insisted that the 24-year-old will recover from the outburst.
"I'm sure that the ATP management and officials will look at the video, will probably interview the chair umpire, will take some time to decide what they want to do," he added.
"I'm never going to encourage the ATP disqualifying or fining a player because I'm not in a position to do that, why would I do that?
"Everyone is a human being, everyone is flawed and can make mistakes, but I wouldn't say that he was the only one that ever has done something like that.
"There were many examples of players hitting their racquet in the umpire's chair. It happens. Bottles, bags were thrown, a lot of things, a lot of bad words. It's not the only case."
The broadcast camera shook mid-point during the all-German semi-final encounter.
A 5.7 magnitude earthquake was registered to the north of Marquelia, which is to the east of Acapulco.
Zverev went on to secure a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) victory over Koepfer to reach the final.
Fritz, the third seed, faced sixth seed and world number 15 Frances Tiafoe, and did not allow a single break of serve en route to the 96-minute victory.
He will now face compatriot Tommy Paul in an all-American semi-final after the world number 23 prevailed 6-2 6-2 against Mackenzie McDonald.
The win was Paul's 10th from his past 12 matches, with one of those two losses coming against Novak Djokovic.
Australia's Alex De Minaur is through to the other semi-final after making light work of Japan's Taro Daniel 6-2 6-2 in a surprisingly one-sided contest, considering Daniel was coming off a victory over world number four Casper Ruud.
De Minaur will face Holger Rune after the 19-year-old capitalised on Matteo Berrettini not being at 100 per cent, jumping out to a perfect 6-0 1-0 start before the Italian retired hurt.
Meanwhile, Chile Open second seed Francisco Cerundolo missed out on a potential chance to face his younger brother after going down 6-3 3-6 6-3 against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
He was one win away from doing his part to set up a quarter-final showdown with Juan Manuel Cerundolo, but the 21-year-old Argentine also did not hold up his end of the bargain, falling 6-2 2-6 7-6 (7-2) to Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.
Laslo Djere ensured it would be a good day for the Serbians with a 7-5 7-5 handling of Italy's Riccardo Bonadio, and he will face third seed Sebastian Baez in the quarter-final after he eliminated hometown hero Cristian Garin 6-4 6-3.
"There is a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice and I think some tears left in my eyes," the 19-year-old said during his on-court interview.
"I'm really proud of myself, but now I'm going to work harder and focus on the next days."
Musetti, whose forehand was excellent, defeated both Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori at the Internazionali d'Italia in Rome last year.
Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas had no such trouble, easing into the second round, where he will face big-serving American John Isner.
The Greek world number five beat France's Benoit Paire 6-3 6-1, aided by a strong display on serve.
"I didn't know what to expect from Benoit today," Tsitsipas said. "I think it's kind of tricky playing a tournament you haven't played before."
On facing 27th-ranked Isner next up, Tsitsipas added: "He's a guy that serves really well so that's going to be the biggest element and the one thing that I'll really have to resolve during that match."
Fourth seed Milos Raonic sent down 13 aces as he defeated American Tommy Paul 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.
In the late match, fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov got past Adrian Mannarino, who retired when trailing 6-4 3-0.
Kyrgios was the defending champion in Acapulco but lasted just one set - losing it 6-3 - before opting to quit due to a troublesome wrist injury.
The announcement did not go down well with fans who roundly jeered the Australian as he gathered his belongings and left the arena.
Kyrgios was unapologetic afterwards and felt he did not deserve the criticism that came his way.
Asked about the boos, he told reporters: "I couldn't give a f***. I literally couldn't give a f***.
"I'm not healthy. I tried to come here, I tried to play. I've been doing media for the tournament and helping out.
"I tried to play, I tried to give the fans a little bit of tennis and they're disrespectful.
"I honestly just really couldn't give a f***."
Kyrgios has had a solid start to 2020, helping Australia reach the semi-finals of the inaugural ATP Cup before going down in four sets to Rafael Nadal in the last 16 at the Australian Open.
He was forced to pull out of the Delray Beach Open last week due to the wrist problem, however.
"I've been dealing with a bit of a wrist injury, obviously, for the last couple of weeks," he added.
"After the Australian Open I took a week and a half off and then I started hitting again, I started feeling my wrist."
Zverev and Brazil's Marcelo Melo were in a super tie-break against Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara when they were angered by a call made by the umpire.
A return on Melo's serve seemed to be called out by a line judge, but the umpire overruled the decision to put Glasspool and Heliovaara 9-6 up and give them match point, a subsequent ace ending the match in their favour.
As the pairs shook hands at the net afterwards, Zverev quickly walked off and smashed his racquet against the umpire's chair three times.
He then shouted at the umpire that he had "destroyed the whole f****** match" before striking the chair once more.
Zverev was due to face Peter Gojowczyk in the second round of the singles, but the ATP Tour confirmed the Olympic champion has been removed from the draw.
A brief statement read: "Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco."
The German, speaking ahead of the first Masters 1000 event of the year at Indian Wells, said his assault on the umpire's chair, for which he received a fine of $40,000 and a suspended eight-week ban from tennis, was a mistake he would not repeat.
The 24-year-old, who won the 2021 ATP Finals title last November, says he is still embarrassed by his actions in Mexico, having struck the umpire's chair with his racquet several times during a stunning outburst.
"It still is embarrassing for me now," Zverev said. "Walking around the locker room, it's not a nice feeling.
"But we all do mistakes. I'm also a human being, and I can guarantee you I will never act this way again in my life.
"It was definitely the worst moment of my life."
Zverev will begin the Indian Wells Masters as the third seed, although world number two Novak Djokovic has been forced to withdraw from the competition due to his vaccination status.
The 24-year-old, who exited at the quarter-final stage of 2021's delayed edition of the tournament, says he has been working hard to avoid a repeat of his Acapulco meltdown and knows there is no room for error given his suspended ban.
"I've been doing work, meditation-wise," he said. "I think there are stress[ful] situations in everyone's life where stuff like this happens. I'm not the first and I won't be the last for something bad to happen on the court.
"I know who I am as a person, and this doesn't reflect me. I had played until 5am the day before – the same day I went back to play doubles.
"I am somebody that gives it his all on the court. I would have never physically harmed anyone.
"If I do that again, they have every right to ban me – it's as simple as that.
"If I do that again, it means I haven't learnt. I think everybody in life deserves a second chance, but if you repeatedly do mistakes it means that you haven't learnt."
A two-time champion of the event, top seed Nadal cruised past Spanish compatriot Pablo Andujar 6-3 6-2 on Tuesday.
In competitive action for the first time since the Australian Open, Nadal needed just 90 minutes to post his fourth victory in as many meetings with Andujar.
Zverev, the second seed at the ATP 500 tournament, survived an early battle before getting past Jason Jung 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.
Last year's runner-up, Zverev served 12 aces and broke four times in his victory.
Kyrgios beat Zverev in the final in 2019, but the Australian lasted just 31 minutes in the first round.
Ugo Humbert took the first set 6-3 when Kyrgios retired due to a wrist injury, the 24-year-old receiving some boos as he left the court.
Kyrgios was the only seed to fall as Felix Auger-Aliassime, John Isner, Grigor Dimitrov and Dusan Lajovic advanced at the hard-court tournament.
Taylor Fritz, Pedro Martinez and Kwon Soon-woo were also among the winners.
At the Chile Open in Santiago, seeds Juan Ignacio Londero, Federico Delbonis and Thiago Monteiro all got through their first-round matches.
Nadal – playing his first competitive tournament since the Australian Open – produced some highlight moments as he saw off Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2 7-5 in Acapulco on Wednesday.
A two-time winner of the ATP 500 event, world number two Nadal was a class above against his Serbian opponent to stay on course for the title.
After his powerful display, the 19-time grand slam champion will face Kwon Soon-woo for a spot in the semi-finals after the South African beat eighth seed Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (7-2) 6-0.
Australian Open semi-finalist Zverev was bundled out of the tournament by American qualifier Tommy Paul 6-3 6-4.
Zverev dropped his opening service game and it was a sign of things to come for the German star as Paul capitalised to eventually claim the biggest win of his career.
Next up for 22-year-old Paul is fifth seed John Isner, who downed fellow American Marcos Giron 6-3 7-6 (7-4).
Grigor Dimitrov saved two match points as he prevailed 6-7 (8-10) 6-2 7-6 (7-2) against Adrian Mannarino in a thriller.
Mannarino erased Dimitrov's 4-1 lead in the final set to earn a pair of match points but the Bulgarian rallied to set up a showdown with third seed Stan Wawrinka, who eased past Pedro Martinez 6-4 6-4.
Elsewhere, fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime was surprised 6-4 6-4 by Kyle Edmund and Taylor Fritz topped Ugo Humbert 6-4 6-1.
At the Chile Open in Santiago, seeds Casper Ruud, Hugo Dellien and Federico Delbonis all moved through to the quarters but Pablo Cuevas fell to qualifier Renzo Olivo.
Nadal was in devastating form as the 19-time grand slam champion dismantled Kwon 6-2 6-1 at the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco on Thursday.
After crushing Miomir Kecmanovic in the last 16, Nadal continued his ruthless path through the draw at the expense of the rising South Korean in one hour, 31 minutes.
Nadal – eyeing his third Acapulco title – hit 25 winners, 11 unforced errors and saved all eight break points he faced to set up a semi-final showdown with Grigor Dimitrov.
Bulgarian Dimitrov snapped a five-match losing streak against three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka by defeating the third seed 6-4 6-4.
Dimitrov – the 2014 Mexican Open champion – had not beaten Wawrinka since 2016 but the former world number three ended his drought in one hour, 25 minutes.
"I've played quite a few times against Stan and we've practised together so many times. Between us, it's mainly a mental battle," Dimitrov said. "I had lost the past five times against him, but those losses have inspired me. Those losses helped me. Even though it hurts saying it, I'm admitting it. I wanted to stand tall tonight."
John Isner – the fifth seed – booked his spot in the semis for the second successive year with a 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2 win over fellow American Tommy Paul.
Isner fired down 22 aces to set up a clash against countryman Taylor Fritz, who topped Kyle Edmund 6-4 6-3.
At the Chile Open, in-form top seed Cristian Garin extended his winning streak en route to the quarter-finals in Santiago.
Garin – the Cordoba and Rio Open champion – celebrated his 10th consecutive victory by downing Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2 0-6 7-6 (7-4) at the ATP 250 event.
Fellow seeds Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Thiago Monteiro also progressed but fifth seed Juan Ignacio Londero was upstaged by wildcard Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-6 (9-7) 6-4.
The world number three was pulled out of this month's tournament in Acapulco following an outburst where he hit the umpire's chair with his racquet in a tirade following a doubles defeat.
The ATP subsequently barred him from competition for a second-round singles clash, with several leading players, including Novak Djokovic, condemning the German's actions.
Speaking ahead of his own quarter-final this week, Nadal - who won a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam in at the Australian Open last month - stated he hoped the 24-year-old and other young players would learn that such behaviour is not acceptable.
"It's unfortunate, without a doubt," the Spaniard said. "I feel sorry for him as I have a good relationship with Alexander.
"In the end, he deserves the sanction because you can't act in this way.
"I think Sascha is aware of that and I hope this will serve as a lesson for him and for other young players who sometimes lose control on the court.
"I am not going to enter into what is or is not fair in terms of sanction," Nadal said. "But in the end you have to stop that type of attitude from becoming fashionable."
Zverev had been due to face Peter Gojowczyk in a singles encounter before he exploded at the end of his match with partner Marcelo Melo against Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara.
Following an over-ruled decision from the umpire that handed the latter pair match point in a super tie-break, the duo decided the game with an ace the very next serve.
That led to Zverev smashing his racquet against the umpire's chair on multiple occasions in quick succession, punctured by a foul-mouthed tirade.
The Tokyo 2020 champion subsequently apologised for his behaviour. The Mexico Open continues until February 26.
In his first match since a record 21st grand slam title in Australia, Nadal was a comfortable 6-3 6-2 winner over Denis Kudla, dropping only four points on serve.
Nadal is now 11-0 for the season, equalling the start he made in 2014, when his winning run was ended by Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final.
"I think I started playing well, a good victory in straight sets. That's always very positive for the confidence," said Nadal. "I think I played a very solid match for the first day.
"Of course, there are a couple of things that I can do better, but in general terms, I played well, so I can't complain at all."
Daniil Medvedev, who had also not played since the final in Melbourne, came through a tougher contest against Benoit Paire 6-3 6-4 in his opening match in Acapulco.
Medvedev held a two-set lead and looked in control before Nadal came roaring back to claim the Australian Open title, but the Russian could claim a landmark achievement in his first tournament since that heartbreak.
Medvedev, who faces Pablo Andujar next, will become world number one if he wins in Mexico, regardless of Novak Djokovic's performances in Dubai.
"It's always not easy to come back after some rest and some time off competition," he said. "I felt like my sensations were not at the top today, but I managed to fight until the end against a very tough opponent, and I'm happy that I managed to win."
Stefanos Tsitsipas racked up the 200th win of his career, holding off Laslo Djere to win two tie-breaks. He will now face J.J. Wolf, who surprised Lorenzo Sonego by fighting back from a set down to win 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.
Cameron Norrie was a straight-sets winner over Daniel Altmaier, while Yoshihito Nishioka battled through against veteran Feliciano Lopez.
Tommy Paul progressed after Matteo Berrettini retired when the American was poised to tie the match at one set all. John Millman also had to call an early halt to his match with Marcos Giron after a freak accident on court in which the Australian accidentally hit a ball into his eye.
At the Chile Open, home favourite Alejandro Tabilo beat Renzo Olivo in straight sets, while fifth seed Federico Coria was earlier knocked out by Yannick Hanfmann.
Miomir Kecmanovic defeated Marco Cecchinato, while there were also wins for seeds Sebastian Baez and Facundo Bagnis.
Top seed Nadal was too good for Dimitrov en route to his fourth Mexican Open decider, triumphing 6-3 6-2 in convincing fashion at the ATP 500 tournament on Friday.
Nadal won the event in 2005 and 2013 and the 19-time grand slam champion has the chance to claim a hat-trick of Acapulco titles after maintaining his relentless form.
"I'm very happy. A great victory against one of the best players in the world and a good friend," Nadal said. "I think I've increased my level during the match, so it's positive for me."
Spanish star Nadal recovered from 1-2 start, reeling off four consecutive games with some powerful baseline winners to seize control against seventh seed Dimitrov.
It was a similar theme in the second set as Dimitrov broke for a 2-0 lead but that was as good as it got for the Bulgarian – Nadal going on a six-game run to close out proceedings in one hour, 41 minutes.
Awaiting world number two Nadal in the final is Taylor Fritz after the American stunned fifth seed John Isner 2-6 7-5 6-3 in a stunning comeback.
"He's playing well. He has a great serve, fantastic shots from the baseline. It's going to be a tough one," Nadal said. "I know I'm going to have to be at my best and I hope to be ready for it."
At the Chile Open, second seed Casper Ruud defeated seventh seed Federico Delbonis 7-5 7-5 to book his spot in the semi-final.
Ruud – the first Norwegian to win an ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires – will next meet third seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who saw off Thiago Monteiro 6-4 6-4 in Santiago.
Top seed Cristian Garin was forced to retire due to a leg injury after losing the first set 7-6 (7-1) to Thiago Seyboth Wild, while Renzo Olivo upstaged Pablo Cuevas 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.
The Spanish great proved too good for Fritz 6-3 6-2 in just 74 minutes in the decider in Acapulco.
Nadal won the ATP 500 title for a third time and first since the event changed from clay to hard-court in 2014.
The 19-time grand slam champion did not drop a set at this year's tournament on his way to a first title of 2020.
Nadal only lost nine points on serve in his victory, while managing three breaks in a comfortable win over the American.
The 33-year-old grabbed a break in the eighth game of the first set before winning five straight in the second on his way to the title.
Only Jimmy Connors (109), Roger Federer (103) and Ivan Lendl (94) have won more ATP Tour titles than Nadal's 85 in the Open Era.
At the Chile Open in Santiago, Casper Ruud will face Thiago Seyboth Wild in the final.
Medvedev's 6-2 6-3 victory over Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka saw him advance to the final four of the Mexican Open in Acapulco on Thursday, where he will face Rafael Nadal in a repeat of last month's Australian Open final classic.
The Russian advanced shortly after Novak Djokovic's shock loss to Jiri Vesely at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which ensured that he will start next week atop the ATP world rankings for the first time.
The news came shortly after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a military assault on neighbouring Ukraine, an act that has attracted condemnation from across the sporting world.
"Watching the news from home, waking up here in Mexico, was not easy," Medvedev told reporters.
"By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world. We play in so many different countries. I've been in so many countries as a junior and as a pro.
"It's just not easy to hear all this news. I'm all for peace. In these moments, you understand that tennis sometimes is not that important.
"It was not easy to play and I'm happy that I managed to win the match, but it was a bit of a rollercoaster day for me."
Medvedev's compatriot Andrey Rublev had earlier spoken out in favour of peace, calling the situation "terrible" in an Instagram post.
"In these moments you realise that my match is not important," Rublev's post read. "It's not about my match, how it affects me. What's happening is much more terrible.
"You realise how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united.
"We should take care of our Earth and of each other. This is the most important thing."
Rublev teamed up with Ukrainian Denys Molchanov to win the Open 13 Provence doubles title in Marseille just days ago, having also won the singles title at the tournament in southern France.
Paul edged the third seed 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-2) in three hours and 29 minutes in their semi-final clash in Acapulco.
World number 23 Paul actually generated a match point late in the second set but spurned his initial chance, then waiting another two hours before winning in the third-set tie-break.
Paul let match point slip at 5-4 in the second set and had to rally back from 3-1 down in the third, but triumphed on his fourth match point.
"I couldn't be happier," Paul said. "The goal for this year was to get the ranking up and get more trophies. I only have one trophy on Tour between singles and doubles.
"You don't get trophies unless your in the final, and hopefully I can play another good match tomorrow and get the winner's trophy."
The 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist will take on Alex de Minaur in Saturday's decider, after he defeated Holger Rune 3-6 7-5 6-2 in two hours and 50 minutes.
In the Chile Open, local Nicolas Jarry progressed into the semi-finals with a 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. Jarry will face Spaniard Jaume Munar after he won 6-3 3-6 6-2 over Thiago Monteiro.
Third seed Sebastian Baez got past Laslo Djere 7-6 (7-4) 6-4, setting up a semi-final date with Tomas Martin Etcheverry after he won 6-1 6-2 over Dusan Lajovic.
The US Open champion exited to Danka Kovinic in round two in Melbourne, as her bid for another major title was hampered by a painful blister to her right hand.
A month on, Raducanu took on Daria Saville at the Abierto Zapopan in Guadalajara but was forced to call a halt to proceedings after three hours and 36 minutes, with the scores at 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 4-3. It was the longest WTA match of 2022.
The 19-year-old had fallen at the first hurdle at last year's Linz Open, the only previous event where she appeared as the top seed, and she might have feared a repeat amid a slow start on Tuesday.
Raducanu and Saville traded early breaks, before the Australian seemed to settle first, claiming a 3-1 lead.
Back roared Raducanu and a tense opener continued in back-and-forth fashion, although the big opportunities fell the Briton's way.
She let slip three break points at 5-4 but had four more at 6-5, eventually able to celebrate with a mixture of relief and delight when Saville netted.
Raducanu served for the match at 5-3 in the second, but Saville battled on not only to force the tie-break but also a deciding set.
The Australian fell 2-0 down in the third but was ahead 3-2 when Raducanu took a medical time-out and returned to court with heavy strapping on her leg. After struggling through another two games, Raducanu retired a break down at 4-3, meaning Saville will progress to face Caroline Dolehide.
Meanwhile, after the shock exit of Madison Keys the previous day, Raducanu's fellow seeds had no such issues this time around.
Sara Sorribes Tormo and Camila Osorio each advanced in straight sets, beating Katie Volynets and Viktoriya Tomova respectively.
Following a quarter-final exit to Dominic Thiem at the Australian Open that saw him lose the world number one ranking, the Spaniard earned his third Acapulco title without dropping a set.
Nadal saw off Taylor Fritz 6-3 6-2 in the final of the ATP 500 event for his 85th Tour-level title and first of 2020, taking momentum from his enjoyable spell in Mexico.
"After not competing since Australia, it's an important week for me and an important moment," said the 33-year-old.
"I couldn't be happier. I played a great event from the beginning to the end. I played solid, with the right intensity, the right passion and my forehand worked well.
"This title doesn't mean that I will have a great season. It means another good start. It gives me confidence and allows me to be in a privileged position in the ATP Race [To London].
"I am always happy after playing here. Now imagine how I am after getting the title!"
Nadal's success came as rival Novak Djokovic also won this week, claiming a 6-3 6-4 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship.
Djokovic has an 18-0 record this season having won the ATP Cup with Serbia and followed that up with the Australian Open and his fifth crown in Dubai.
He joked about going the whole of 2020 unbeaten in his on-court interview and laughed it off again in a later discussion with reporters while explaining his determination to continue the hot streak.
"Of course, I'm trying to embrace the moment and appreciate where I am," Djokovic said.
"This has been one of the best starts of all seasons I had in my career. It has started in the most perfect way possible.
"I am aware, most of the matches that I'm going to play, the players will not have much to lose. They will go out and try to play their best and stop the streak.
"At the same time, the more I win, the more confident and comfortable I feel. I'm just grateful that I'm playing well, feeling well. I've won many matches now in a row. I'll try to keep that run going."
Nadal and Djokovic are both scheduled to return to action in Indian Wells for the first Masters 1000 event of the season from March 12.
