Call it the Spanish curse…. For many years, Bercy had become accustomed to withdrawals or renunciations of Rafael Nadal. To believe that the Majorcan rubs off on his compatriots. Carlos Alcaraz, world No. 1, was indeed forced to throw in the towel against Holger Rune. The young Dane was leading 6-3, 3-1 in the second-set tiebreaker when the recent US Open winner signaled to the match referee that he was ending his suffering prematurely.
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s protege had requested a medical time-out at 6-5 in his favor to bring in the tournament physio for abdominal pain in his left side that had been plaguing him since the start of the round. Beaten last week in the semi-finals of the Basel tournament by Auger-Aliassime, the Murcian had already arrived in Paris diminished by knee pain which had raised fears of a package.
“It’s the second time I quit in my career. (Editor’s note: after the US Open 2021 in front of Auger-Aliassime) and I don’t like it, breathes Alcaraz. It wasn’t an option until I saw it could get worse. Towards the end I couldn’t serve, couldn’t hit a forehand and I felt the pain as soon as I turned the body. In addition, when it runs all the time in the head it is better to stop. We can always continue, but it can be expensive.
Head to the casa to do some tests and assess the extent of a possible tear one week before the Turin Masters. “I will try to be 100% there, he promises.
Holger Rune, 19, thus qualifies for his first semi-final in a Masters 1000. The young Dane is the fit man on the circuit behind Félix Auger-Aliassime, who has just beaten him in the final in Basel and that he will find Saturday in the last Parisian square. Rune indeed remains on a success and two finals in its last three tournaments…