No.1 Carlos Alcaraz retires with injury; Novak Djokovic, Felix Auger-Aliassime race into Last 4

Carlos Alcaraz

World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz retired from his Paris Masters quarter-final against Holger Rune on Friday with an abdominal injury, while defending champion Novak Djokovic made quick work of Italy's Lorenzo Musetti.

Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, lost the first set and was trailing 3-1 in a second set tie-break when he decided to stop, having received treatment to his left side at the previous changeover. "It's something wrong on the abdominal," said Alcaraz.

"At the end of the set, it was wrong. It was getting wrong and I preferred to retire and take care about it."

Also Read: Paris Masters: Alcaraz races past Dimitrov to reach quarters

The Spanish teenager had been attempting to win a third Masters title of the year after victories in Miami and Madrid. Alcaraz would have been confirmed as the year-end World No.1 before the ATP Finals in Turin later this month had he lifted the trophy this weekend in the French capital. Instead, his participation at the November 13-20 event is now in doubt.

Rune will face in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in Sunday's final. The 19-year-old Dane lost to Auger-Aliassime in the final in Basel last weekend. In the last match of the evening, Stefanos Tsitsipas eliminated American Tommy Paul, the American who dumped Rafael Nadal out, 6-2, 6-4. "It was a very good match today, in terms of level and intensity, from start to finish," said the Greek World No.5 who will face titleholder Djokovic in the semis. Djokovic charged into the Last four with a 6-0, 6-3 demolition of the Musetti.

Earlier, Auger-Aliassime continued his quest for a fourth title in as many weeks by beating Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-4 to stretch his winning run to 16 matches.

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