Canadian Gabriel Diallo was forced to retire at the French Open during the second set of his opening-round match against James Duckworth after injury concerns resurfaced at a crucial moment at Roland Garros.
Gabriel Diallo didn’t make it past the second set at the French Open.
The Canadian was forced to retire during his opening-round match against Australia’s James Duckworth. The stoppage came when Duckworth was leading 4-1 in the second set, after Diallo had already dropped the first 6-3 in 43 minutes at Roland Garros.
Diallo, from Montreal and ranked 49th, entered the tournament battling lower back issues. Days before facing Duckworth, he reportedly also suffered a cut to his finger on a glass bottle. The injuries turned a match that had started with promise into a fight for survival, and eventually ended it.
Duckworth, world No. 82, started strongly, but Diallo showed early resistance. He held serve with the 34-year-old Australian in the opening set before Duckworth secured a critical break to move ahead 4-2 after Diallo forced a backhand error.
Diallo then served out the first set, but the second was different. As Diallo’s physical struggles continued, Duckworth seized control and raced to a 4-1 double-break advantage before Diallo was unable to continue.
By the time the match ended, the tournament had already shifted in a hurry—one retirement moving a draw along while the injuries that triggered it remained the unanswered part.
With Diallo out, Denis Shapovalov will take on Jaime Faria, while Félix Auger-Aliassime goes up against Daniel Altmaier on Tuesday.
On the women’s side, Victoria Mboko will face Nikola Bartunkova on Tuesday, and Leylah Fernandez is scheduled to play Alycia Parks on Monday.
Gabriel Diallo French Open Roland Garros James Duckworth Denis Shapovalov Félix Auger-Aliassime Daniel Altmaier Victoria Mboko Nikola Bartunkova Leylah Fernandez Alycia Parks