{"id":11547,"date":"2017-06-01T18:44:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T18:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2017\/06\/01\/a-player-falls-injured-at-the-french-open-and-compassion-takes-over\/"},"modified":"2017-06-01T18:44:00","modified_gmt":"2017-06-01T18:44:00","slug":"a-player-falls-injured-at-the-french-open-and-compassion-takes-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/a-player-falls-injured-at-the-french-open-and-compassion-takes-over\/","title":{"rendered":"A Player Falls Injured At The French Open, And Compassion Takes Over"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Bill Chappell<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
[embedded content]<\/div>\n
YouTube<\/b><\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It’s still early in the French Open, but the tournament has already seen a remarkable show of sportsmanship. On Thursday, Mart\u00edn del Potro climbed over the net to console his opponent, Nicol\u00e1s Almagro, who was visibly upset by an injury that forced him to withdraw from their match.<\/p>\n

The score in their second-round match was tied at one set apiece when del Potro served \u2014 and Almagro was unable to move on the opposite baseline, his head down as he tried to cope with the realization that a recurring knee injury would end his run at Roland Garros.<\/p>\n

As del Potro stepped over the net and walked toward him, Almagro collapsed on the clay court, his sobs clearly audible over the crowd’s cheers of encouragement and appreciation. Del Potro, an Argentine who has faced his own injuries, talked quietly with Spain’s Almagro before the two walked slowly back to the bench.<\/p>\n

As he passed center court, Almagro, who at 31 is ranked No. 69 in the ATP’s world tennis rankings, turned back to shake hands and hug del Potro, and to shake the chair umpire’s hand.<\/p>\n