Injured, Medvedev offers no reassurance: "For the moment, I don't know if it's very serious, serious or not serious"

Daniil Medvedev, who was forced to retire against Jiri Lehecka on Thursday (6-4 ab.), was not reassuring in his press conference. The world no. 4, who suffered an adductor muscle injury, was unable to complete his match against the in-form world no. 31 (who defeated Rafael Nadal in the eighth round).

Questioned in the press conference, the Russian explained: "On one return, when he did a serve-volley and I wanted to accelerate, I felt a sort of blockage in my hip. I couldn't sprint, like when you pull a muscle or have a muscle spasm. [...] I tried to play but my head wouldn't let me go all the way, so at the end of the set, I told myself that if I wanted to keep going, I'd try sprinting to the net to see, and if I didn't feel anything, I'd try going a little harder. And when I sprinted, I felt a pain. So I told myself there was no point in continuing. [I can't say any more. I hope to know tomorrow (Friday) or the day after. I'm going to have an MRI to see what it is, whether it's a matter of five days, two weeks. I have no idea. It would be cool to come back to Rome but I just need to see what it is, because at the moment I don't know if it's very serious, serious or not serious."

Following Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal from the tournament, doubts remain as to whether the Russian will be able to come to the Foro Italico to defend his title. Add to this the doubts surrounding the presence of Jannik Sinner, and Italy could be in for a hecatomb of withdrawals.