Denis Shapovalov, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, was forced to retire from his first-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta after suffering a freak injury at the All England Club. The 27-year-old Canadian lost the first set 6-3 before a competitive second set went to a tie-break. During the tie-break, Shapovalov crashed into the netting at the back of Court 6 while trying to retrieve a wide and deep ball, immediately grabbing his left shoulder in pain.
Injury Details and Immediate Aftermath
Shapovalov, ranked world number 39, requested a physio after the collision and returned to his chair. Despite a brief medical timeout, he opted to continue but lost the second set with the next point, giving Carreno Busta his first Wimbledon match win at the eighth attempt. After a brief exchange with his coaching team, Shapovalov gestured to the chair umpire that he could not continue. The umpire announced: 'Ladies and gentleman, unfortunately due to injury, Mr Shapovalov is forced to retire from the match.'
Shapovalov's Apology and Career Context
As the players embraced, Shapovalov apologized to Carreno Busta, saying: 'Sorry man, I think I've f****d it.' The retirement means Shapovalov has not reached the second round at Wimbledon since 2024, a far cry from his semi-final run in 2021, when he beat Sir Andy Murray in the third round before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. His career has stagnated recently, with a first-round loss at the French Open and just one win at the Australian Open this year.
Carreno Busta's Milestone
For Carreno Busta, the victory marked his first ever win at Wimbledon in eight attempts. The 34-year-old Spaniard, a US Open semi-finalist in 2020, will face countryman Rafael Jodar in the second round. According to tournament officials, Carreno Busta had previously lost all seven of his Wimbledon matches before this encounter.
