Denis Shapovalov Retires Due to Injury at ATP Masters 1000 in Paris

Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov was forced to retire from his opening-round match at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris on Monday, handing a victory to Russia's Karen Khachanov. Shapovalov pulled out of the contest during the third set due to a suspected right thigh or groin injury while holding a lead.

The 27-year-old left-hander from Ontario struggled early in the match, surrendering the opening set after dropping his serve and committing consecutive double faults in the ninth game. However, Shapovalov quickly found his rhythm in the second set, breaking Khachanov immediately and eventually prevailing in a tight tiebreak to force a deciding third set.

Shapovalov appeared to be in control during the final set, establishing a 4-1 lead. During the changeover after taking a 3-1 advantage and leading 40-30, he requested an athletic trainer to examine discomfort in his right thigh. Trainers taped his leg before he attempted to resume play.

Visibly grimacing and struggling with his movement on the court, Shapovalov attempted to battle through the pain. Just a few points later, however, he could no longer continue and conceded the match. Prior to the withdrawal, Shapovalov held a career head-to-head record of 2-1 against Khachanov, with their previous meeting occurring at Wimbledon in 2021.

With the abrupt ending, Khachanov advanced to the second round of the Parisian tournament. He will face the winner of the matchup between Spanish 13th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and French wildcard Moïse Kouamé.

The opening day of the tournament featured several other notable matches. Ugo Humbert secured a hard-fought victory against Botic Van De Zandschulp after a late-night battle that extended past midnight, while Cameron Norrie, Tomas Machac, and Daniel Merida also advanced to the next phase.