Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the 2023 French Open due to the same knee injury which ruled him out of January’s Australian Open.
Kyrgios underwent surgery in January for the injury, and missed all three ATP 1000 clay-court events in the lead-up to his Rolland Garros withdrawal.
His agent Daniel Horsfall had said earlier on Tuesday: “It’s not looking likely. We are trying everything we can to have Nick ready on court as soon as possible,” before the news was confirmed that he had withdrawn from the entry list.
Despite a tough relationship with clay in his career, many believed Kyrgios would play at the French Open this year as he promised he would play the tournament for his girlfriend last year: “Next year I am going to go to Paris. I’m announcing that now, I’m going to the French Open,” he said during an appearance in Houston last year – which in itself was his first clay event since 2017.
“I haven’t played that in four years so I’ll be back next year. My girlfriend just wants to see Paris. I mean, I’ll play the French Open as well.”
Kyrgios also confirmed his plans again during December’s Diriyah Tennis Cup but has now withdrawn from the clay-court Major.
Nadal ‘in race against time’ to be ready for French Open
Rafa Nadal has turned down a wildcard offer for next week’s Challenger tournament in Bordeaux as his participation in the French Open hangs in the balance, the clay-court event director has said.
Nadal has not played since the Australian Open in January due to a hip injury and is battling to be fit for the Roland Garros Grand Slam, which starts in Paris on May 28.
Jean-Baptiste Perlant told French publication L’Equipe: “I offered him [Nadal’s agent Carlos Costa] one of the wildcards.
“He very kindly told me that Nadal was continuing his preparation at home, that he was not ready and was in a race against time to be ready for the French Open.”
Nadal has won the French Open a record 14 times.
Raducanu posts photo on social media after third and final surgery
Emma Raducanu has undergone her third and final surgery in the space of a fortnight as she faces several months on the sidelines.
It was confirmed that the British No 1 will miss the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to the surgeries on both of her hands and one of her ankles.
The 20-year-old posted a picture and a GIF on social media on Monday with a caption that read ‘opa. 3/3’ to mark her third and final procedure.
The 2021 US Open champion has encountered several fitness problems in recent months and pulled out of the Madrid Open last month with a hand injury.
A few days later she announced that she would be sidelined for several months after choosing to have multiple surgeries to try and fix her fitness problems.
With the surgeries now all out of the way, Raducanu faces a lengthy bout of rehab and recovery before she can return to the tour.
Former British No 1 Johanna Konta believes Raducanu can come back stronger after the surgeries and says the 2021 US Open champion will want to return in time to play at Flushing Meadows in September.
“Obviously, you don’t want to be young and having surgery, Konta said. “However, there have been a lot of athletes throughout history that have had surgery young and they still come back stronger, come back better and do brilliant things in the sport.
“It is a hurdle, but one that she is well equipped to overcome and she has time on her side.”
