Tennis star Arthur Cazaux has shared a gruesome image of the ankle injury that he sustained at the Barcelona Open on Monday. The Frenchman was forced to retire from his clash with Matteo Arnaldi within the first set after taking a tumble on the court.
Cazaux headed to Spain with hopes of reaching the latter stages of the competition, skipping the Monte-Carlo Masters to ensure that he was prepared for the tournament. However, his hopes came crashing down within the opening set of the Round of 64.
At 40-40 and with the score tied at 5-5, Cazaux was outwitted by Arnaldi as a neat drop shot saw him take the advantage. Cazaux quickly recognised that he wouldn’t be able to reach the ball and tried to slow to a halt.
His momentum saw him roll his ankle in the act in horrific fashion, and the 21-year-old dropped to the ground to clutch the ankle. The extent of the injury was immediately apparent, with the umpire and on-court medical team rushed to the aid of Cazaux.
Arnaldi also rushed around the net to check on the condition of his opponent, and Cazaux was left with no choice but to retire from the match after failing to put any weight on his right ankle when helped to his footing by staff.
The French star appeared to be in agony as he hobbled away, with the Barcelona crowd giving him a warm round of applause to soften the blow. Cazaux has since taken to social media to share a picture of his newly sustained injury, with his ankle swelling immensely in the hours that passed after the match.
