Tiafoe withdraws from Lyon after being eliminated in Shanghai: Another obstacle in the ATP Finals race.
Lyon loses key player: Frances Tiafoe will miss the opening tournament (October 19-25), with a leg injury threatening his chances in the ATP Finals.
Frances Tiafoe will ultimately not be participating in the ATP 250 Lyon tournament next week.
Despite being one of the main stars of the new tournament in France, the American player has confirmed his withdrawal due to a leg injury. This is bad news for the world number 10, who was still competing for a spot in the ATP Finals in Turin.
Tiafoe withdraws from Lyon
Announced as one of the highlights of the inaugural Lyon tournament, Tiafoe will ultimately not be participating. The American player has confirmed his withdrawal from the tournament, scheduled to take place from October 19 to 25, due to a leg injury.
His presence was one of the biggest boosts the organizers managed to create. Tiafoe was among the first group of stars alongside Brandon Nakashima, Tommy Paul, Lorenzo Musetti, and Valentin Vacherot.
He was even expected to be the highest-ranked player in the group.
This withdrawal comes just days after he was eliminated from the Shanghai Masters 1000.
Defeated after a major battle against Davidovich Fokina
Tiafoe had a good start at the Chinese tournament with a convincing victory over Yannick Hanfmann. But his journey ended in the third round against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The Spanish player, seeded number 25, won after a huge battle lasting 2 hours and 46 minutes, with a score of 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(6).
This defeat came during a particularly tense match, but above all, it may have left a lasting physical mark. A few days later, Tiafoe had to withdraw from Lyon due to this leg injury.
Bad news in the race to the Masters.
This withdrawal comes at a particularly crucial point in the season. Tiafoe is still competing for the ATP Finals in Turin, which brings together the eight best players of the year.
The American player had considered qualifying for this tournament a major goal after his outstanding performance at the US Open. In New York, he reached the semi-finals before losing to Ben Shelton, a result that helped him return to the world Top 10 and move closer to the ATP Finals.
But his withdrawal from Lyon now deprives him of a crucial opportunity to score points, while the battle for the final spots is particularly intense.
