Grigor Dimitrov has withdrawn from the Paris Masters hours before he was due to take to the court to face former champion Daniil Medvedev. Dimitrov returned from a four-month injury layoff on Monday, beating French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in impressive fashion. The 34-year-old also joined forces with Nicolas Mahut in the doubles on Tuesday, as Mahut officially ended his career with a three-set loss in the first round.

Dimitrov had previously not played a match since he was forced to retire in the fourth round of Wimbledon while leading Jannik Sinner by two sets to love. The former world No. 3 picked up a pectoral injury and was in tears as he called it quits. But his injury comeback has now been cut short, and Paris Masters organisers issued a statement following his sudden withdrawal.

“Unfortunately, Grigor Dimitrov has pulled out from the singles draw. It was great seeing you back on court Grigor,” the tournament wrote on social media.

Dimitrov was due to face Medvedev in the third match on Court 1 on Wednesday. His withdrawal was announced in the middle of the second match on that court.

It means that Medvedev, who won the title here in 2020 but lost to Dimitrov in the second round two years ago, is through to the last 16 via walkover.

Medvedev had not won a match at the Paris Masters since 2021, when he finished as the runner-up. He received a bye directly into the second round but lost his opening matches in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Russian ended that losing run when he beat Jaume Munar 6-1 6-3 on Tuesday.

Dimitrov’s withdrawal means that his 2025 season is likely over. The world No. 38 is not entered into next week’s ATP 250 events in Metz and Athens, and has not qualified for the ATP Finals the following week.

After beating Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 6-1 in the first round, the former finalist in Paris said he’d had no expectations coming into the tournament. “I didn’t know what to expect, if I have to be completely honest,” Dimitrov explained.

“All I knew is that I had to look on my side of the net and really control what I could, and that was my serve, the way I was reading the game and playing my shots.

“In the tiebreak, anything could have happened. I missed those two fairly easy forehands, had to stay within myself, I knew I’m going to get another chance. All that, again, comes from the experience, but I really had not much of an expectation from myself.”

Following Dimitrov’s withdrawal, tournament organisers moved Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s match against French wildcard Arthur Cazaux to the third slot on Court 1.

Medvedev will now face either Lorenzo Musetti or Lorenzo Sonego in the round of 16