CAMERON NORRIE retired mid-match for just the second time in his professional career in the opening round at Roland Garros yesterday.

The 30-year-old admitted ahead of the French Open that he was battling a rib injury and, although fit enough to take to the court, he pulled the plug after 79 minutes trailing Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 7-6 (7) 2-0.

Norrie had never previously pulled out during a tour-level match, with the only previous occasion coming 12 years ago on the Futures Tour, the lowest rung of professional tennis.

Norrie has been the most dependable British player of the past five years and would have fancied his chances of doing well here as the 20th seed and with a favourable draw.

He also reached the fourth round in Paris last year but he was only able to practise for the first time here on Sunday and began to look increasingly uncomfortable as the contest wore on.

Norrie should have won the first set having led 5-1 in the tie-break and with four set points but he could not take any of them and then had his serve broken in the opening game of the second set.

At that point, Norrie, who had been talking animatedly with his team, sought advice from the doctor but he played only one more game before deciding to call it a day.

The British number one would not have wanted to risk making the injury worse ahead of the grass-court season and he will now focus on trying to recover fully in time for Wimbledon next month.