Dan Evans forced to retire against Frances Tiafoe in Vienna due to calf injury
Britain’s Dan Evans had to withdraw against Frances Tiafoe in Vienna after suffering a serious calf injury on Tuesday.
Evans, who looked comfortable when leading 4-1 in the first set, quit after experiencing a sharp pain in the back of his leg.
Despite seeking medical attention, the world number 35 was comforted by American Tiafoe as he withdrew from the match.
It was only the second tour-level retirement of Evans’ career and means he will be doubtful for Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia next month.
Evans was expected to partner world doubles No. 4 Neal Skupski in Malaga but his injury could now reward captain Leon Smith’s first choice.
Heather Watson fell in the first round of the Abierto Tampico event in Mexico, losing to Ann Li in three sets.
Watson won the first set 6-4, but the American – 50 places lower than Watson at 156 – romped through the second 6-1 to take the decider 6-3.
In other news, world number 8 Karolina Muchova has withdrawn from the WTA Finals in Cancun due to a right wrist injury and will be replaced by the first alternate. Maria Sakkari of Greece.
Czech Muchova was the eighth player to qualify for the season-ending tournament after reaching the Cincinnati final and the US Open semi-finals, losing both times to American Coco Gauff.
“Together with the team and the doctors, we tried everything until the last moment to solve my wrist injury,” Muchova said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the time required for recovery is longer than we had hoped and that is why I have had to make this unpleasant decision.
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As a result, ninth-ranked Sakkari will be competing in her third consecutive WTA Finals at this year’s event, which starts on Sunday, after reaching the semi-finals a year ago.