Call it the Spanish curse….
For many years, Bercy had become accustomed to withdrawals or renunciations of Rafael Nadal.
To believe that the Majorcan rubs off on his compatriots.
Carlos Alcaraz, world No. 1, was indeed forced to throw in the towel against Holger Rune.
The young Dane was leading 6-3, 3-1 in the second-set tiebreaker when the recent US Open winner signaled to the match referee that he was ending his suffering prematurely.
Juan Carlos Ferrero's protege had requested a medical time-out at 6-5 in his favor to bring in the tournament physio for pain in his left side.
Beaten last week in the semi-finals of the Basel tournament by Auger-Aliassime, the Murcian had already arrived in Paris diminished by knee pain which had raised fears of a package.
Holger Rune, 19, thus qualifies for his first semi-final in a Masters 1000. The young Dane is the fit man on the circuit behind Félix Auger-Aliassime, who has just beaten him in the final in Basel and that he will find Saturday in the last Parisian square.
Rune indeed remains on a success and two finals in its last three tournaments…