Frances Tiafoe Retires from Match Against Holger Rune Due to Injury

Cincinnati, Ohio — Frances Tiafoe was forced to retire from his fourth-round match against Holger Rune on Wednesday at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati due to a lower back injury. Tiafoe, the 10th seed, was leading 3-0 early in the match but struggled after losing momentum and called for medical treatment at 4-5 in the first set.

Tiafoe’s retirement came after Rune, the seventh seed, had taken a 6-4, 3-1 lead. Rune expressed his concern for Tiafoe, stating, “From 4-4, when I got the break and at 5-4 when he had the medical timeout, that’s when I felt something was not right with him.”

Last year, Tiafoe made an impressive run at this tournament, reaching his first Masters 1000 final. However, his journey this year has been marked by injury and inconsistency. He recently exited Wimbledon early and had been aiming for a strong showing in Cincinnati before his unfortunate setback.

Despite his struggles, Tiafoe has notable achievements this season, including a quarterfinal appearance at the French Open and another in Washington. Unfortunately, this latest injury may impact his upcoming participation at the U.S. Open, which begins on August 24.

Rune advances to the quarterfinals, looking to avenge his loss to Tiafoe in the 2024 semifinals. He will face either fourth seed Taylor Fritz or French qualifier for a spot in the next round. “It’s never nice to finish a match like this,” Rune concluded, wishing Tiafoe a swift recovery.