London: British number one Jack Draper says the tennis calendar must be adapted after Holger Rune became the latest high-profile player to have his season ended prematurely.
According to BBC, Danish 22-year-old Rune, set to return to the world’s top 10 after reaching the semi-finals at the Nordic Open in Stockholm, was forced to retire with injury when leading Frenchman Ugo Humbert by a set. Rune’s mother, Aneke, later told Danish newspaper BT that she had been informed by medical staff that her son’s injury was “very bad.” Draper emphasized the necessity for the tour and the calendar to adapt in order to ensure the longevity of players’ careers.
Rune, who was already nursing a hamstring issue coming into the match, appeared to understand the severity of his injury instantly and was emotional as he received treatment after hobbling to his chair. The incident occurred after Rune pulled up in pain jumping to hit a ball at the back of the court, with the game level at 40-40 on Humbert’s serve and Rune leading 6-4 2-2. Humbert expressed his disappointment, stating, “It was not the way I wanted to win. I’m super disappointed for Holger, I hope he is going to be OK.”
The issue of player injuries is not isolated to Rune. Later on Saturday, Novak Djokovic also retired after losing the first set of his third-place play-off against Taylor Fritz at the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, an exhibition event. Djokovic had been struggling with injury and sickness at the previous week’s Shanghai Masters. The congested tennis calendar has drawn criticism from several players. Carlos Alcaraz, who finished runner-up to Jannik Sinner at the Saudi Arabia event, commented in September that “they are going to kill us in some way.”
Naomi Osaka recently withdrew from the Japan Open with a leg problem before her quarter-final on Friday, adding to the list of players affected by injuries. Former women’s world number one Iga Swiatek also criticized the lengthy and intense season amid a string of injuries among players at the China Open. British number one Emma Raducanu ended her season on Thursday due to illness, while other players like Australia’s Daria Kasatkina, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, and Spain’s Paula Badosa have also concluded their seasons earlier than planned, citing either injury or the need for a break from the tour.