Gunning for his maiden title at the Paris Masters, Carlos Alcaraz had a tricky draw to contend with at the La Défense Arena. Having dispatched Alex Michelsen in the second round in straight sets, the Spaniard was in for a battle against former Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the third round. Whenever the two have faced each other before, the matches have been competitive, with the Italian being one of only two players to beat Alcaraz in a five-set battle at Grand Slams. However, on this occasion, a somber announcement from the Italian robbed the fans of what would have been a thrilling match.

“Hi everyone, unfortunately the arm pain I’ve been having for a few days won’t allow me to play tonight…” said Berrettini on his Instagram story. “Over the next few days I’ll have all the necessary tests to better understand what’s happening. Thank you all for the support and affection you show me every day on and off the pitch.”

Injuries have been a regular feature of Berrettini’s playing career so far, with the Italian struggling with several physical issues over the last few years. While he mentioned arm pain in his announcement, he did not provide any details about it. However, the former World No. 6 is no stranger to injuries, as his foot was his major obstacle during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, which saw him miss the 2024 Australian Open.

This is not the first time that Berrettini has withdrawn from a scheduled match. The Italian was all set for a high-profile clash against Alex de Minaur in the first round of the Australian Open in 2026, but had to withdraw before the match due to an abdominal injury. Berrettini was replaced by Mackenzie McDonald, who played the first-round match against De Minaur, with the Italian also being hampered by a similar abdominal issue against Alexander Zverev at the 2021 ATP Finals, which saw him retire mid-match.

This season has already seen Berrettini withdraw from another high-profile event at the French Open. The former World No. 6 was gradually getting back into his groove on the Parisian clay, winning some marathon five-set matches, before he had to withdraw against his compatriot Matteo Arnaldi due to a hip injury.

Once again, a trip to Paris did not end well for Berrettini, who had shown some signs of good form with his wins over the likes of Brandon Nakashima and Ugo Humbert. Not to mention, he had reached the quarter-finals in Vienna last week, where he was on the opposite side of an injury retirement in his second-round match, as Flavio Cobolli had to pull the plug due to an injury during the match against him.

The Berrettini withdrawal meant that Alcaraz was through to the quarterfinals at the Paris Masters for only the second time in his career.

Carlos Alcaraz Reaches His Second Paris Masters Quarterfinal

The last time Alcaraz reached the Paris Masters quarterfinal, the Spaniard had an injury concern himself, as he pulled out of the match against Holger Rune in the second set. In the last few years, the Spaniard has suffered some unexpected losses against the likes of Roman Safiullin, Ugo Humbert, and Cameron Norrie.

This time around, Alcaraz will have to face either Arthur Fils or Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals. Both opponents will bring distinct dynamics to the match. Fils will have the French crowd behind him, who will look to back the home favorite against the World No. 3. On the other hand, should it be Fritz, the match will have broader implications as the American is still in with a shout for the ATP Finals, especially after Novak Djokovic‘s second-round loss.

Alcaraz has a 3-0 and 6-1 head-to-head record against Fils and Fritz, respectively. Also, the Spaniard is fresher than he would be at this time of the year, given that he was out of action for four and a half months due to the wrist injury. He has already won an indoor title in Vienna last week and is on the prowl to keep improving his resume on indoor hard courts, a surface where he has historically struggled.