Stefanos Tsitsipasthe tennis player who had withdrawn from the two previous training sessions to his debut at the ATP Finals with Jannik Sinnerand who had later assured that he was at his physical peak, He abandoned the masters tournament this Tuesday because of his back.
“I am totally ready to play this tournament, I feel healthy“, stated on Sunday the number six in the ranking and that he could lose that status this week in favor of Alexander Zverev or Holger Rune.
Tsitsipas, who has been seen accompanied by Paula Badosahas done a disservice to the organization and to the spectators who had paid very expensive tickets to see a show that has never existed. They had to settle for an exhibition between Taylor Fritz and Hubert Hurkacz.
It is not the first time that Stefanos leaves the ’round robin’ through the back door. The first was in the 2021 edition after her first engagement with Andrey Rublev. Two years ago the injury was to the elbow.
Three games into his match with Rune, with 2-1 for the dans with ‘break’, the Athenian has raised the white flag, confirming that he was untruthful to the media in the previous days. Only 17 minutes had passed, which means 81,375 more dollars in his prize pool for a total of 244,125 for his stay in the capital of the Piedmont region.
Hurkacz, without options
Hurkacz, number nine in the 2023 Race and first reserve in Turn, will enter to play on Thursday against Novak Djokovic. The Pole has no chance of classification.
Djokovic, for his part, will be mathematically in the semifinals if he defeats Sinner tonight.
The post first appeared on www.marca.com