LILLE, France — Lucas Pouille is expressing concerns that his tennis career may be nearing its end after a troubling incident during a recent match on Sunday. The 30-year-old French player sustained an injury late in the second set of a Challenger Tour final in Lille, where he was competing against Arthur Bouquier. After several rallies, Pouille advanced from the baseline but suddenly collapsed to the ground, lying on his back while clutching his right foot. At that point, he was unable to continue the match, with Bouquier leading 6-3, 3-5.

Following the match, Pouille addressed the audience and conveyed his anxiety about his future in professional tennis. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions until I undergo some tests, but there’s a possibility that this could be the end of my career,” he expressed. He suspects that he may have suffered a complete rupture of his Achilles tendon, noting that returning to play at an elite level after such an injury can be extremely challenging.

In this tournament, Pouille faced a disappointing early exit in this year’s Australian Open, where he was defeated in the first round by Alexander Zverev, who went on to reach the finals.

Throughout his career, Pouille was known for his versatility and consistent performance on multiple surfaces. He achieved his highest career ranking of 10th in 2018, a notable year in which he competed in three finals. Overall, Pouille has secured five titles during his career, with his top performance in major tournaments coming in 2019 when he advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open. In previous years, he reached the quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2016.

His contributions to France’s tennis success are also noteworthy; he played a crucial role in the 2017 Davis Cup victory against Belgium, clinching the decisive match against Steve Darcis. As Pouille awaits further evaluation of his injury, the future of his tennis career hangs in the balance.