In the past 30 years of the ATP Tour, seven players have withdrawn before finals, with many top players forced to miss out.

Last week, prior to the ATP 500 Dubai final, Dutch competitor Griekspoor, a former Grand Slam round-of-16 participant, was forced to pull out because of injury. This gave Russian former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev a walkover victory. It is worth mentioning that this was Medvedev's first instance of securing two titles at this particular event.

However, many fans may not be aware that since the ATP Tour was established in 1990, seven players have had to withdraw before a final. This group includes several well-known figures. So, at which tournament finals did these players pull out? Let this article take you through the details.

In 1998, Spanish player Costa, who had already reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal and just won his first Masters title, carried his momentum into the Rome Masters, winning five consecutive matches to reach the final, where he was set to face Chilean player Rios. However, due to physical issues, Costa had to withdraw, giving Rios the championship. That year, Rios claimed six tour titles and also reached the Australian Open final. Costa later won the French Open in 2002, which perhaps served as some compensation for that withdrawal.

Mentioning Czech player Novak may be unfamiliar to many fans. He made a deep run at the 2002 Australian Open, advancing to the semifinals. Moreover, that same year, Novak fought through the draw at the Madrid Masters to reach the final. However, he withdrew before the final, allowing his opponent, American star Andre Agassi, to claim the title.

In 2003, Argentine player Nalbandian, a former Grand Slam finalist, reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, his best performance there since turning pro. However, in late October, shortly after making the US Open semifinals, he encountered injury troubles again. After battling into the final of the ATP 250 Basel event, he was forced to withdraw. His opponent and compatriot Coria went on to win the championship.

In 2008, the year of the Beijing Olympics, Argentine player Monaco reached the finals of both the Viña del Mar Open and the Pörtschach Open. Yet, due to various reasons, he withdrew from both finals. This remains the only instance in a single season where a player withdrew from two tour-level finals. Notably, these were also the only two tour finals Monaco reached in 2008.

Even Swiss great Roger Federer, one of the "Big Three," has experienced a pre-final withdrawal. That occurred at the 2014 ATP Finals, after he had staged a comeback victory over compatriot Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals. Federer's withdrawal granted Serbian star Novak Djokovic the honor of a third consecutive ATP Finals title.

In 2017, Canadian player Raonic, who had previously reached a Masters final and a Grand Slam final, also fell victim to the pre-final withdrawal curse. He strung together four wins at the ATP 250 Delray Beach Open to reach his first tour final of the 2017 season. However, a right leg injury forced him to withdraw, handing the title to American player Jack Sock. From established stars to emerging dark horses, injury remains the greatest adversary for professional athletes. These unfortunate withdrawals form a unique chapter in ATP Tour history. That concludes today's tennis story; we'll continue tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)