LILLE, France (AP) — Lucas Pouille fears his tennis career could be over after collapsing during a match on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Frenchman injured himself late in the second set of a Challenger Tour final in Lille against Arthur Bouquier. After several exchanges, Pouille moved forward from behind the baseline and slumped to the ground, then lay on his back and clutched his right foot. He was unable to continue with Bouquier leading 6-3, 3-5 at the time.
After the match, the 102nd-ranked Pouille told the crowd he fears the worst.
“I don’t want to say for certain until there have been tests, but there’s a chance it will be the last match of my career,” Pouille said. “I think it’s total rupture of the Achilles tendon. Playing tennis at the highest level after that is complicated.”
