Concerns over Stefanos Tsitsipas’ fitness ahead of his title defence at the ATP Finals are continuing after he withdrew from a doubles match at the Paris Masters on Thursday.
The two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist was due to play in the draw alongside Pakistan’s Aisam ul Haq Quresh but has officially pulled out due to a right leg injury. The decision was confirmed by a post from Qureshi on Twitter two days after Tsitsipas suffered a shock loss to France’s Ugo Humbert in his opening match of the singles event. Making it the second tournament in a row where he has failed to win back-to-back matches.
“Unfortunately Stefanos Tsitsipas had to pull out from our doubles match at the Rolex Paris Masters due to an injury. Wishing him a very speedy recovery and all the best for the rest of the season,” Qureshi wrote on social media.
Tsitsipas revealed earlier this week that is suffering from a recurrence of a leg injury which he said he picked up during his semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic at the French Open. The timing of the issue comes less than two weeks before the start of the season-ending ATP Finals in London. Questioned about his chances of winning, the 22-year-old gave an uncertain response.
“Right now, I don’t know. I really don’t know,” Tsitsipas told reporters after his loss to Humbert. “During the second set my Roland Garros injury came back, and it wasn’t as bad as at the French Open, but it kind of had me on the edge of things, and I wasn’t sure if that’s good for me to be out there.
“But that’s not an excuse, for sure. I still fought and gave my best out there, despite this thing that I had on the court. I’m sad, for sure.”
Tsitsipas is bidding to become the first player outside of the Big Three to successfully defend his title at the ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt’s triumph back in 2002. So far this year he has won 28 out of 39 matches played on the ATP Tour and earned more than $1.7 million in prize money.
The ATP Finals will start on November 15th.
