Moselle Open Withdrawals Update: Daniil Medvedev travels to Metz to explain his absence while Machac and Griekspoor follow in suit

A plethora of withdrawals have occurred ahead of the Moselle Open in Metz (November 1-8), with the ATP season set to climax in the coming weeks. The most notable one is Daniil Medvedev who has ended his season after a disappointing quarter-final defeat in the Paris Masters.

The former world number one has had an off-season by his hugely impressive standards, and will not attempt to end it on a positive not in Metz. In the French capital, he was looking to make it to a third Paris Masters semi-final, the first since 2021 where he culminated in the final. It was looking good after he clinched the first set, but the world number three fought back, forcing a third and deciding set. Medvedev would go on to squander two match points before Zverev wrapped up affairs in a very close tiebreak.

With just one title, two finals and one Grand Slam win, it has well and truly been an off season for the former US Open champion. The Russian kicked off the year with his sole major win against the world number 408 Kasidit Samrej in five sets. Learner Tien would then dump him to much frustration from the three-time finalist. It looked like his fortunes were changing with a semi-finals run at Indian Wells, but a straight set defeat to Holger Rune ended his dreams.

A barren spell on court prolonged for Medvedev as he desperately searched for some form. At Roland Garros, he found himself 2-0 down to Norrie before making a comeback to 2-2, just to lose the final set 7-5. His first final of the year came in Halle, but he came unstuck against Alexander Bublik. What followed would be two consecutive opening round defeats at Wimbledon and the US Open to Benjamin Bonzi. The tie at Flushing Meadows caused headlines for all the wrong reasons after the Russian caused a raucous on court when a photographer walked on it as the Frenchman was serving for the match. He would inevitably lose and split with long-term coach Gilles Cervara.

His fortunes slightly changed in Asia, reaching the semi-finals in Beijing and Shanghai before finally clinching his maiden title of the year in Almaty, overcoming Corentin Moutet in three sets. After losing to Zverev in Paris, he travelled to Metz to talk with the tournament director on why he is withdrawing from the event, thus pulling the plug on his 2025 campaign.

The Moselle Open has lost two other stars in the form of Tomas Machac and Tallon Griekspoor, in a damaging turn of events for the event.

The Czech star was supposed to face off against Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard in his opening-round clash, but that will now not happen. His previous two singles matches have ended the same way: a straight sets loss to Flavio Cobolli in Vienna and Paris. Griekspoor has also added his name to the absentees. He was also defeated in the opening round in Paris against Gabriel Diallo. Beforehand, he pulled out of a possible quarter-final clash against Zverev in the Vienna Open, possibly hinting to an injury which has kept him out of the Moselle Open.

He would have played Aleksandar Kovacevic, but the American will now face a lucky loser, with three coming in after the three withdrawals. It is still a strong lineup in the event, with Felix Auger-Aliassime, Cameron Norrie, Arthur Rinderknech, Alexander Bublik, Moutet and Cobolli amongst the names set to be in action.