Gauff retires from Indian Wells match due to arm pain

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 8 - Two-time major champion Coco Gauff was forced into a rare retirement in her third-round clash with Alex Eala at Indian Wells on Sunday due to persistent pain in her left arm, which she said made it feel like it was \"on fire.\" Read more at straitstimes.com.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 8 - Two-time major champion Coco Gauff was forced into a rare retirement in her third-round clash with Alex Eala at Indian Wells on Sunday due to persistent pain in her left arm, which she said made it feel like it was "on fire."

Gauff, 21, who has only retired from one match previously in her career, took a medical timeout before the final game and apologized to Eala for having to pull out while trailing 6-2 2-0.

"I'm sorry. You were playing great," Gauff told Eala as they embraced at the net.

It was a tough break for world No. 4 Gauff, who crushed Eala 6-0 6-2 in the quarter-finals in Dubai three weeks ago and was among the favourites to win the title in the California desert. Gauff's only other retirement came in 2022 in Cincinnati.

"It felt like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire," Gauff said after the match.

"We're going to figure out what it is tomorrow, but based off the feeling, I'm being told that it's probably something nerve-related.