Inter rocked as Lautaro Martínez likely to miss 7 matches with hamstring strain

MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez will likely miss his team’s next seven matches, including the derby against city rival AC Milan, with a hamstring injury.

Lautaro played the whole of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Club Brugge and scored two goals in the 4-3 defeat. But medical tests on Thursday revealed a strain in his left hamstring.

“He will be out for a while,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu said on Friday. “I’m not a doctor. I’ve been given a recovery timeframe, and he’ll probably be back after the international break.”

Lautaro will certainly miss Saturday’s trip to Bologna and Wednesday’s Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk. Inter then plays Fiorentina and Venezia before the derby against Milan on Oct. 31.

It also faces Feyenoord and Como before the international break. Inter’s first match back is at Atalanta on Nov. 22.

Lautaro has six goals in seven matches across the Champions League and Serie A this season. He was Serie A’s top goalscorer last season with 17 — the second time he's won that award.

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Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez runs after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Inter Milan and Club Brugge in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez reacts after missing a scoring chance during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Inter Milan and Club Brugge in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, left, scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Inter Milan and Club Brugge in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez reacts after missing a scoring chance during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Inter Milan and Club Brugge in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

WUHAN, China (AP) — Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina is out of the Wuhan Open after losing 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to resurgent British player Sonay Kartal in the quarterfinals Friday.

The No. 170-ranked Kartal, who missed more than six months with a stress fracture in her back earlier this year, has won six of her eight matches since returning to the elite tour.

She beat two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini to reach the quarterfinals in Wuhan after defeating ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, in the second round.

Kartal, who broke Svitolina's serve in the last game, reached a career-high No. 44 ranking in July of last year. Svitolina lost in the quarterfinals at the China Open last week to eventual champion Zheng Qinwen.

Kartal advanced to a semifinal against 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who beat 11th-seeded Diana Shnaider 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek beat American Ann Li 6-4, 6-1.

There was no upset for Li on this occasion after her surprise win against top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the second round, with six-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek sealing victory in 1 hour 33 minutes.

Swiatek faces Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals.

Chwalinska beat Maria Sakkari 6-0, 3-6, 7-5.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, leaves the court after losing against Zheng Qinwen, of China, during the quarterfinals of the women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)