A WIMBLEDON star had to retire with a freak injury after trying to catch the ball.
Robert Galloway and Aldila Sutjiadi teamed up in the mixed doubles.
They faced British duo Joshua Paris and Eden Silva on Court 18 on Sunday.
However, Galloway had to withdraw from the match at the end of the first set because of his finger being in agony.
Facing Paris’ serve at 3-2, the ball clipped the net on its way into the service box, prompting a let.
So with the ball dead and out of play, and the direction changed by the let cord, Galloway tried to save time by grabbing the ball as it hurtled towards him.
But while the incident happens in many matches, it very rarely leads to anything of note.
However, on this occasion, Galloway, 32, did not take the catch cleanly.
Instead, the ball jarred the end of his finger awkwardly.
And that immediately left the American wincing in pain and shaking his hand in agony.
Galloway knew something was wrong and at the next change of ends, signalled to his camp that he had done damage.
Both his partner and opponents looked on worried as the physio was called to come and check on him.
Galloway – the world No37 in doubles – soldiered on until the end of the first set, which they lost on a tie-break.
And he then in sad scenes.
will face Sem Verbeek and Katerina Siniakova in the quarter-finals.
Ironically, Galloway was put back on Court 18 for Monday’s order of play in the men’s doubles.
He and partner Yuki Bhambri are due to face No4 seeds and French Open champions Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in round three of the men’s doubles.
