"I wasn't really sure how it would hold up," Humbert reflects on his back injury in Toronto

Ugo Humbert made a strong start at the Cincinnati Masters 1000. The Frenchman, ranked 25th in the world, defeated Coleman Wong (6-3, 6-4) and advanced to the third round, where he will face last year's runner-up, Frances Tiafoe.

Injured in his back last week just before his opening match in Toronto against Emilio Nava, the Metz native recovered in time to compete in the Ohio tournament. During a press conference, the 27-year-old player discussed the progression of his injury in recent days.

"I hope it’ll be okay. Before Toronto, it was tough. I hurt my back, and it was impossible for me to step onto the court. I couldn’t do anything for a week.

I arrived in Cincinnati and only played an hour a day. It wasn’t until Friday that I played for an hour and a half. So, I wasn’t really sure how it would hold up. As a result, I tried to stay super relaxed and play very loose. I didn’t want to tense up.

There was a slight scare in the last game, but I managed it. More than winning or losing, the most important thing was my back, and I’m glad it held up. Now, I need to keep up with the treatments and manage everything properly.

I got hurt in a silly way... I was tense, a bit tired. It happened during a physical training session," Humbert told *L'Équipe* after the match.