For six years now, Frenchman Fabien Reboul has tried every which way to avoid injuries. Just last year, he even switched his strings and the tension in them to reduce the impact of every shot on his wrists. Understandably, protecting wrists is quite important even as a doubles player. But little did he know he should’ve prepared more.

As the well-established doubles duo of Reboul and Sadio Doumbia took the Brad Drewett court against the Argentine team of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni at the China Open, the probability of their win was already high. But despite a 7-4 lead in the deciding ten-point tiebreak, things suddenly took a turn when Reboul went down with a seemingly painful injury.

Having split the first two sets 6-3, 4-6 (French team-Argentine team), the fourth-seeded pair of Doumbia and Reboul had momentum to take the win for good. But the Argentine pair wasn’t going without a fight.

In an intense rally during the tiebreak, Reboul sent a high lob up, which was smashed straight back at him as he tried to gain his position at the back court. But before he could get his feet settled, the smash came towards him, and he lost his balance, with his left knee bending awkwardly. While he somehow returned the shot and stood up, the effort didn’t last long.

The ball landed in the net for the opponents. But before anything could happen, Reboul went down while trying to find balance. He quickly held on to his face and then his knee in visible agony, while Doumbia tried to console him, laying right beside his partner. He probably flexed his hamstring and should be fine in some days. However, a knee issue can be a bigger problem. So far, no official statement has been released. But just as he fell, you could hear the 2000 fans-strong Brad Drewett gasping in shock. After all, it changed the entire scenario.

Reboul’s injury changed not just the result of their R16 match but also the entire tournament

Gonzalez and Molteni were three points away from being eliminated in Beijing. But with the injury, Reboul and Doumbia had to retire early, giving up on the possible win.

The opponents also came in to check on the Frenchman’s condition. Despite being on the verge of a loss, the team of Molteni and Gonzalez got the win. But this loss wasn’t just about this match.

For the French pair, this was a great opportunity to make a deep run in Beijing. They were the fourth seeds, and the defending champions, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, were not in the field this year.

Given that their quarterfinal opponents would have been Alexander Bublik and Juncheng Shang, the French team will rue the missed opportunity, as Bublik and Shang were not a set doubles team. A win in this event could’ve meant much more.

Earning points in Beijing was crucial for the French team’s qualification chances at the ATP Finals. Doumbia and Reboul are currently tenth in the race and about 700 points behind the eighth-placed team of Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard, the top-seeded pair in Beijing. However, given Reboul’s injury, much will depend on how quickly the recovery process goes if the French pair have to make a late dash for the Finals in Turin.

Doumbia and Reboul have been among the most consistent performers over the years, with the French team seeking their first breakthrough at a big event.

Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul have been one of the top doubles teams in recent years, and they know why

When they were first partnering six years ago, Reboul and Doumbia had a decision to make. You see, Reboul wanted to walk away from tennis because he was not getting enough results as a singles player, but Doumbia suggested they pair up. However, there was one condition.

“If we start doubles together, we finish doubles together,” he told him.

Today, they live together, practice together, see each other almost every day, and, of course, play together. In fact, in an era where everyone frequently changes their doubles partner, this French duo has built a team with identity, history, and a friendship that matters to them regardless of what happens on the court. 

They made their names on the Challenger Tour, winning 17 titles at that level from 2018 to 2025, including a Challenger event in Quimper last year. The two got their Tour-level breakthrough at the 2023 Cordoba Open, where they had a runner-up finish. They also did not have to wait long for title success on the ATP Tour.

They won the Chengdu Open in 2023 and later successfully defended their title the next year. Together, Doumbia and Reboul have reached thirteen Tour-level finals, winning seven titles.

Their most high-profile final came at the Italian Open last year, where they lost the final to the veteran pair of Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. The pair has a 35-20 record for this year, winning titles in Bucharest and Bastad, along with quarterfinal runs at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon.

However, since their win at the Nordea Open in Bastad, the pair have not been in the best of form, with a 4-4 record on North American hard courts. They did not have a great start to the Asian swing, with an opening-round exit at the Chengdu Open, and now, with the forced retirement in Beijing, the French team needs a quick turnaround to get their season on track.