NEW YORK – Three players retired from the US Open Men’s Singles match on Saturday, bringing the seven to step down from the field at a grand slam tournament due to injuries.
Flavio Koboli, Daniel Altmeier and Kamil Magitzilzak met during the game in the third round after America’s Ben Shelton decided he couldn’t continue playing due to a left shoulder injury. Sebastian Korda and Junchen Shan called it in the first round, with fifth seed Jack Draper pulling out before playing the second match.
Hours after Shelton retired, Novak Djokovic shook his back problems to beat Cam Nolly on Friday night, becoming 38, the oldest person to reach the fourth round in the US, as Jimmy Connors was the same age in 1991.
Koboli said on Saturday he felt something in his right arm as he faced fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
“I played a lot of time in a few days at the beginning of the game because I knew I was at my limit, but I didn’t recover as much as I wanted,” Koboli said. “I think if I continue that game, it’s going to be even worse.”
In Italian, Koboli added that he was unable to serve the way he wanted because he was worried and did not think it was seriously injured.
Musetti said he thought Cobolli had been experiencing several five sets of matches in the first two rounds.
“I didn’t want to end that way,” Musetti said. “I hope he’s healthy again soon.”
The men’s side of Wimbledon had five retirements, six walkovers at the French Open and nine walkovers at the Australian Open. At the US Open, women had two retirements. Nuria Parrizas Diaz and second Eva Lys in the first round.
