New Delhi, Oct. 24 -- Drama unfolded at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Friday as Felix Auger-Aliassime retired mid-match, handing Jaume Munar a straightforward path to the semi-finals. The Canadian's injury withdrawal not only ended his quarter-final hopes but also jeopardized his chase for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

The match barely got underway before trouble struck. Auger-Aliassime, seeded high in the ATP 500 draw, lost the first set 3-6 to Munar. After just 45 minutes, he approached the net to concede, visibly hampered by a lower back tweak.

Throughout the set, the 25-year-old paused to stretch his back, grimacing during points. What started as a minor issue escalated, forcing him to prioritize health over competition.

Munar, stayi...