No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz Out 6 Weeks After Suffering Abdominal Muscle Injury

Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 1 men's tennis player in the world, announced Saturday he suffered a muscle tear in his left abdomen, which will require around six weeks of recovery.

As a result, he will not compete in the 2022 ATP Finals scheduled to begin Nov. 13.

Taylor Fritz will replace Alcaraz in the ATP Finals. Fritz is ranked No. 9.

Alcaraz won his first two matches at the Paris Masters in straight sets. In the quarterfinals Friday, he dropped the first set to Holger Rune and went to a tiebreak in the second. Down 3-1, he retired.

The 19-year-old said after the match he couldn't stretch or hit his serve or forehand well.

This marks a disappointing end to an impressive 2022 season. Alcaraz went 57-13, winning the U.S. Open and advancing to the quarterfinals of the French Open.

The Spanish star didn't specify whether his injury put his status for the Australian Open in jeopardy. The first Grand Slam gets underway Jan. 16. Though that's well outside the six-week window for his recovery, the layoff could disrupt his preparations.