Withdrawals have become commonplace around this time of the season, as we draw ever closer to the end of another gruelling tennis season.
With each passing year, it feels like the tours only increase their physical demand on their star assets, and the result has been a 2026 campaign laden with injury.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s long-term absences will steal headlines, but the sheer number of big-name withdrawals and stars who have ended their seasons early is astounding.
And now, with the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open just around the corner, this Belgium-based tournament is the latest to suffer a huge setback as a result of this demanding schedule.
Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime both withdraw from the Brussels Open
Whilst the draw from this event would seldom fire itself to the top of the news cycle normally, on this occasion, it marks the perfect way to summarise the real impact of this never-ending tennis schedule.
After all, this tournament will have been riding heavily on its three biggest names, including Arthur Fils.
Whilst he remains, they have suffered two casualties, with Felix Auger-Aliassime having withdrawn, before Casper Ruud seemingly followed suit.
The draw was made yesterday, and the Norwegian star only finished in Shanghai that same day, losing to Rafael Jodar. During that match, despite taking the first set, it was alarming how he faded physically, allowing his teenage opponent to creep back into contention.
The Canadian’s withdrawal from Brussels is not surprising, given Auger-Aliassime actually retired from his match against Ruud in Shanghai earlier this week.
The hope is that the three-time Grand Slam finalist merely suffered from fatigue, and not something more sinister, which might see him join an ever-expanding list of players who have called time in 2026.
Arthur Fils’ huge opportunity to confirm ATP Finals spot
Whilst it seems unlikely that he would fail to qualify anyway, with how the field has opened up in the last few days, Fils can potentially add a crucial 250 extra points to his tally to secure his presence in Turin next month.
After all, whilst his 3,325 points are nearly 500 clear of the expected cut-off point, he does face some pressure from Jodar, who is still going in Shanghai.
The Spaniard could theoretically overtake him before this week is up, and leave the Frenchman in the ninth and final spot.
There are still a handful of names competing for that position, including Alex de Minaur and Novak Djoković.
Fils, however, is now by far the highest-ranked player in the draw. He could face the tricky task of Jaume Munar in the first round, but other than that, he should face limited competition en route to the final, where Jiri Lehecka is expected to await.