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Stefanos Tsitsipas' ATP Finals campaign came to a disappointing end on Tuesday. The Greek withdrew from his second group-stage clash against Holger Rune due to an injury.
With Rune leading 2-1 in the first set, Tsitsipas called for the physio to have a quick assessment. Soon after that, he decided to end the match prematurely.
It is pertinent to note that just a day prior to the encounter, the 25-year-old had assured his fans that he was physically fit.
"I'm absolutely fine and I'm ready to play this tournament. Turin is one of the most important events of the year for me. I'm healthy. I'm ready to compete," Tsitsipas said after his opening round loss against Jannik Sinner.
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Had Tsitsipas announced his withdrawal prior to the match, first alternate Hubert Hurkacz would have taken his place against Rune. With two matches in hand, the Pole would have had a shot at making the knockouts.
But with only one match to go now, Hurkacz will be effectively playing a dead rubber on Thursday against Novak Djokovic.
Fans on social media were not happy with the timing of Stefanos Tsitsipas' retirement, saying that he should have chosen not to play if he knew he was injured. Some even suggested the ATP should chastise the Greek for his actions, claiming that the "biggest" tournament of the year has been ruined by him.
"Tsitsipas is embarrassing and deserves all the booes he gets. He knew he couldn't play but he chose to waste everyone's time and money. This is not good and ATP should punish him," one fan said.
"That is not an excuse for Tsitsipas. Hurkacz was there ready to take his place vs. Rune. Instead, he preferred to soothe his ego, give Rune the easiest win of his career, and rob fans in Turin of a competitive match," another weighed in.
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
Stefanos Tsitsipas: "I felt terrible on the court"
Stefanos Tsitsipas addressed the media afterwards, stating that he only retired because he felt "terrible" on the court and that he had done everything possible to get fully fit for the match. He also confirmed that it was a back injury, and that he would have to go for further tests to check the extent of it.
The Greek added that it "killed him" to not be able to finish the tournament on his own terms, before expressing how much he had looked forward to participating at the ATP Finals all season.
"My doctors and the countless visits that I had in last few days suggested that I play, gave me the green light to go and try it for myself, so... Unfortunately, I felt terrible on the court. I did what I could do in the best possible way to be ready and fit for this match, but it didn't work out for me," Stefanos Tsitsipas said at his press conference.
"I hate retiring from matches. I'm not the kind of person that likes leaving mid match. It kills me not to be able to finish this tournament, the one that I've prepped for for so long, made sure that I'm completely fit to perform at my best and show my capacities as a player," he added.
