Top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada withdrew from his quarterfinal match against Arthur Fils on Thursday at the Lyon Open because of a shoulder injury.
Auger-Aliassime, who withdrew before the match began, told the crowd he felt pain in his right shoulder and did not feel competitive. The Canadian star got his first and only singles win on clay in 2023 on Wednesday, beating Pablo Llamas Ruiz, 7-6, 6-2.
Fils will now face eighth seed Brandon Nakashima in the semifinals. The second semifinal is set between defending champion Cameron Norrie and Francisco Cerundolo.
The Lyon Open is one of the warm-up events leading to the French Open, the second grand slam tournament of the season.
Earlier in the season, Auger-Aliassime lost his opening singles matches at both Madrid Open and Italian Open. He made the quarterfinals in doubles at the Madrid Open with his Canadian compatriot Denis Shapovalov.
Auger-Aliassime's withdrawal comes less than a week before the French Open, which begins this Sunday. The injury withdrawal is a blow to his chances in Paris, where he made the fourth round last year, losing to the eventual champion Rafael Nadal in a close five-set match. This year, he is seeded 10th and is set for a tough opener against Italian Fabio Fognini.
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