Carlos Alcaraz nightmare: forced to retire and Turin at risk, Rune advances

Carlos Alcaraz must give way to up-and-coming Holger Rune

Carlos Alcaraz was forced to retire in the quarterfinals of the Paris-Bercy tournament, the last Masters 1000 of the season. The world number one tennis player had to raise the white flag during the tie-break of the second set of the match against Holger Rune, due to severe pain in his abdomen. He had lost the first set 6-3.

Holger Rune, a rising star of Danish tennis and world No. 18, thus advanced to the semifinals: on Saturday he will face Felix Auger-Aliassime (who in the other quarter swept the U.S. Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-4) for a place in the final of the French tournament.

Alcaraz’s condition remains to be seen: the extent of the injury could cost him participation in the Atp Finals.

After an irresistible rise Carlos Alcaraz in 2022 won his first Grand Slam title, at the US Open. With the victory in the U.S., he gained the top spot in the Atp rankings, becoming the youngest tennis player in history to succeed in the feat, at the age of 19 years 4 months and 7 days.