Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime forfeited Thursday for his quarter-final of the Lyon tournament, offering young Frenchman Arthur Fils a direct ticket to the semi-finals.
Seeded N.1 in the event and 10th player in the world, the Canadian said he has suffered from pain in his right shoulder since the start of the week. “I thought it was nothing and that with the care it would get better and better,” he explained during a press conference.
“I was able to play on Wednesday but in the second set I was able to serve but felt discomfort in the forehand. This morning (Thursday) while training, I felt too much pain to be competitive for a full game and continue the tournament. It seemed logical to me to stop there,” he added.
His package leaves the field open to Arthur Fils. The young Frenchman, 18, 112th in the world, will face Friday in the last four the American Brandon Nakashima, seeded N.8, who beat his compatriot Tommy Paul (N.3) 6-3, 7-6 (7 /4).
It will be his third semi-final this season after the Montpellier and Marseille tournaments, a milestone he has never reached on the main circuit.
Auger-Aliassime will continue his treatment in Paris, where he will go on Friday, with the aim of being handed over to the French Open at Roland-Garros which begins on Sunday.
The other semi-final will pit Briton Cameron Norrie, seeded N.2, against Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, seeded N.4, 28th in the ATP rankings. The latter beat the Briton Jack Draper, 60th in the world, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 while Norrie, 14th in the world, got rid of the Argentinian, Sebastian Baez, seeded N.5 and 44th at ATP, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.
