Frances Tiafoe has been forced to retire from the Cincinnati Open after struggling with back spasms in his fourth-round match against Holger Rune. The American, who reached the final here last year before losing to Jannik Sinner, called the physio and received treatment towards the end of the first set.

However, he continued to struggle physically and received a code violation for smashing a ball into the air in frustration. Tiafoe’s team were keen for him to continue playing, telling him that the medicine would kick in and the spasms would subside. But he retired with Rune leading 6-4 3-1 40-15.

The No. 10 seed had a medical time out before Rune served for the first set, but things went from bad to worse, and Tiafoe went an early break down in set two.

Sky Sports, which had been showing Iga Swiatek’s match against Sorana Cirstea instead, cut to the centre court, where Tiafoe smashed a ball into the crowd.

“A short while ago, this happened on centre court, a code violation followed. A clearly frustrated and in pain Frances Tiafoe. Last year’s finalist, he has points to defend, he has the US Open to prepare for,” Gigi Salmon told viewers.

“Last time we checked in on centre court he was receiving medical treatment at the end of the first set. We believe it’s a back spasm. His team are telling him to continue, he’s saying, ‘I can’t continue’, and they’re saying, ‘Look, tough it out, it’s going to be okay’.

“He has had some treatment and taken some medication but it’s tough, he has been saying, ‘I cannot go on, I cannot play anymore’, and his team is saying, ‘If it’s a spasms, tough it out, it’s going to loosen up, medication is going to help’.”

Tiafoe finally gave in, walking towards the net when he lost another point on his serve to give Rune two more break points. He shook hands with Rune at the net, and told the Dane that his “got up at 4-3” in the first set and suddenly felt his back start to spasm.

Salmon said: “I believe Frances Tiafoe has just called it. The headband is off, and here it is. There you go, he said it came out of nowhere, he got up at 4-3 and the back spasmed.

“So tough, he played so well on the American hard courts, finalist here last year. He should be fine for the US Open if it is a spasm but the team said it will be fine, the medication will kick in, it will loosen up. But it wasn’t, and he’s called it. Very difficult for Frances Tiafoe.”

Tiafoe is the sixth man to retire from the main draw in Cincinnati this year, after Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Luciano Darderi, Arthur Rinderknech, and Jakub Mensik.

The American is expected to be back in action at next week’s US Open mixed doubles event, where he is set to join forces with Australian Open champion Madison Keys.

Tiafoe will be keen to bounce back before his home Grand Slam tournament, with the singles draw getting underway on Sunday, August 24.

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