Taylor Fritz misses Monte Carlo Masters with injury as draw separates Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 28: Taylor Fritz looks on against Jakub Mensik of Czechia during their Semi Final match on Day 11 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 28, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Taylor Fritz, America’s World No. 4, has withdrawn from the Monte Carlo Masters because of an ongoing abdominal injury.

“I aggravated an abdominal injury during my semifinal match in Miami, and I will not be able to recover in time to compete in Nimes this week,” Fritz said in a statement ahead of the event. Nimes, France, is the venue for the latest Ultimate Tennis Showdown (U.T.S.) exhibition, in which Fritz was replaced by Tomas Macháč.

Missing Monte Carlo, a Masters 1,000 event one rung below the Grand Slams, is much more significant. It follows Fritz’s withdrawing from Acapulco in February with the same injury, which has been affecting his right oblique muscle.

Taylor Fritz - Wikipedia

After losing to eventual champion Jakub Menšík in the Miami Open semifinal, Fritz said that the injury had gotten worse in his quarterfinal match against Matteo Berrettini.

“End of the second set, I felt like I reinjured that thing that I’ve been dealing with,” he said.

World No. 22 Hubert Hurkacz also withdrew from Monte Carlo on Friday, as he recovers from the lower back injury that forced him out of Miami.

Novak Djokovic beats Carlos Alcaraz at Australian Open in display of physical and tactical fortitude - The Athletic

Both he and Fritz are entered for the BMW Open in Munich, which starts the week after next. The Monte Carlo main draw gets under way Sunday, with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz placed in opposite halves of the draw. Djokovic is in the same half as defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas and world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, with Alcaraz alongside Indian Wells champion Jack Draper in his half.