Felix Auger-Aliassime retired from his fourth-round Shanghai Masters match against Casper Ruud on Wednesday after a left knee injury prevented him from continuing.
The No. 4 seed withdrew after 35 minutes with the score at 5-2, 15-15 in Ruud's favor.
According to the match report, Auger-Aliassime appeared to hurt his knee during the fourth game after leading 40-0 and losing five straight points.
He received medical treatment and heavy strapping but was unable to continue.
The Canadian attempted to return after a three-minute medical timeout, but later asked for the bandages to be removed before retiring after two more points.
Analysts Observe Discomfort
Sky Sports commentator Colin Fleming discussed Auger-Aliassime's condition during the match.
"I think he's struggling here. Is it the knee?
He's had knee issues in his career," Colin Fleming said.
Sky Sports analyst Naomi Cavaday also assessed the situation as Auger-Aliassime struggled with movement.
"Just all of a sudden... He definitely looks uncomfortable.
Of course, the break won't be sitting nicely either, but definitely something distracting him, contributing to those misses.
Did not want to load," Naomi Cavaday said.
Fleming later referenced the player's previous physical problems while discussing the injury situation.
"Five points in a row [he lost] there. Capitulation from 40-0.
Not a good game but seemingly some physical issues.
He did have a very strange situation in Turin last year, I don't know if you remember the Tour Finals, where it seemed to me, he had some sort of serious knee injury.
But it transpired it was almost like a cramping issue that he was dealing with. Just wonder if it could be something similar here.
Noticed very early in the match, not a sort of cramp borne out of fatigue as such, but maybe just a tightness," Colin Fleming said.
After trying to play through the injury, Auger-Aliassime told his team he could not continue because of the pain.
"No, it hurts too much," Felix Auger-Aliassime said.
The player's physiotherapist advised him to stop before the retirement decision was made.
"Don't play, it's fine," Felix Auger-Aliassime's physiotherapist said.
Cavaday described the moment Auger-Aliassime ended the match after the umpire informed the crowd he could not continue.
"I think that's it. It's done.
He can't move.
That ball was right next to him. He said, 'It hurts too much'.
What a shame for Felix," Naomi Cavaday said.
Fleming praised the decision from Auger-Aliassime's team, noting that the player wanted to keep competing despite the injury.
"Heal up Felix!" Casper Ruud wrote on the camera lens after the match.
Ruud explained that he saw the injury occur early in the contest before progressing after Auger-Aliassime retired.
"Yes. It didn't look good.
I think he was ready from the start, and then it kind of seemed to me that he twisted something over at the net in the third or fourth game," Casper Ruud said.
Ruud reflected on the physical setback and recalled his own previous injury-related retirement against Auger-Aliassime in Monte Carlo.
"It's kind of small margins in this sport, and unluckily for Felix, that goes against him today. It's unfortunately the bad part of the game.
Last time we played in Monte Carlo, I was the one in his footsteps walking off the court with a calf issue, and now he seems to be the knee.
I know what it's like, it's really disappointing.
Felix [is] a great player and his highest level is up there among the best in the world.
I was ready for a really tough match and even though we stopped at 5-2, it was still tough.
I was sort of lucky there to get the break from 2-1 to 3-1, and I think during that game, maybe something seemed to happen to him, and I'm sorry and hope he heals quick," Casper Ruud said.
