The last number-one ranked player to not play at the ATP Finals was Rafael Nadal in 2008 and Carlos Alcaraz will be the first since then.
Due to an abdominal muscle tear that would prevent him from playing tennis for at least a month, Alcaraz will miss the ATP Finals. In his encounter against Holger Rune at the Paris Masters a few days earlier, the Spaniard suffered a tear and retired in the second set.
One day after the match, Alcaraz annoucned the news on social media writing:
"Unfortunately I won't make the ATP Finals or the Davis Cup Finals. It is tough and painful for me to miss these two events, which are so important to me, but all I can do is be positive and focus on my recovery. Thank you for the support!"
Funny enough, it's another similarity between him and Nadal, who, at the age of 19, withdrew from the 2005 ATP Finals due to a foot injury. There are numerous similarities between Alcaraz and Nadal's professional careers. The youngster's career thus far closely resembles that of Nadal.
It's also the first time a reigning number one won't play at the event as the last one to skip it was Nadal in 2008.
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