Injured Brooksby withdraws from Next Gen ATP Finals

Jenson Brooksby leaves the court after practice during
last month's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Photo
by Paul Bauman 

   Jenson Brooksby's breakthrough year is over.

   The 21-year-old resident of Carmichael, Calif., in the Sacramento area withdrew from this week's Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan because of an abdominal injury. He also pulled out of last week's Paris Masters with the injury after winning two three-set qualifying matches to reach the main draw.

   The Next Gen ATP Finals features the top eight 21-and-under players of 2021. 

   Brooksby has skyrocketed from No. 307 when he turned pro last December to No. 56. After winning three Challenger tournaments and reaching the final of another in the first half of the year, he advanced to:

   —His maiden ATP final in Newport, R.I., in the first grass-court tournament of his life.

   —Two semifinals on the ATP Tour (Washington and Antwerp).

   —The fourth round of the U.S. Open, drubbing top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-1 in the first set before the 20-time Grand Slam singles champion dominated the next three sets.

   In the process, Brooksby racked up six victories over top-50 players: No. 15 Felix Auger-Aliassime, No. 25 Aslan Karatsev, No. 25 Reilly Opelka, No. 42 Taylor Fritz, No. 43 John Millman and No. 44 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.