Photo via Yahoo Sports

Casper Ruud joins Felix Auger-Aliassime in withdrawing from ATP event just hours after losing in Shanghai

The BNP Paribas Fortis European Open in Brussels faces a major setback as two top-ranked players, Casper Ruud and Félix Auger-Aliassime, withdrew from the upcoming tournament just days after their struggles in Shanghai. Ruud, who finished his match in Shanghai on the same day the draw was announced, lost to Rafael Nadal’s protégé Rafael Jodorowski after faltering physically in the second set despite leading 6-3, 3-0.

Auger-Aliassime, who had already retired from a match against Ruud earlier in the week, also pulled out, leaving Arthur Fils as the sole remaining top-tier player in the field. With the ATP Finals spot at stake, Fils now stands as the highest-ranked participant, though he must navigate a first-round challenge against Jaume Munar before aiming for a final against Jiří Lehecka.

The withdrawals underscore the growing toll of an increasingly grueling tennis season, with fatigue and injuries forcing major stars to exit early.

Up nextTennis· 25m ago

What happened the last time Novak Djokovic played at the Basel Open in 2011 as he accepts wildcard