Pavlyuchenkova, Monfils pull out of French Open with injuries

PARIS: Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has ended her 2022 season early due to a knee injury and will miss the upcoming French Open, last year’s Roland Garros runner-up announced on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old has only played three tournaments so far this year and lost her opening match at last week’s Italian Open while struggling physically. “I’m very sad to say that I’m forced to withdraw from Roland Garros and the rest of the tournaments this year,” Pavlyuchenkova wrote in a statement on Twitter.

Pavlyuchenkova reached her maiden Grand Slam final 12 months ago in Paris but lost a tight three-set match to Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

“I have been playing this in my head for the last week and it has been a really tough decision to make, as Roland Garros was always very special to me, especially after a dream run last year,” she added.

The injury has seen Pavlyuchenkova slip to 21st in the WTA rankings, down from a career-high of world No 11 last November.

HEEL INJURY PUTS MONFILS OUT

French hopes of a first men’s singles title at Roland Garros since 1983 suffered a blow on Monday with Gael Monfils announcing he was pulling out of the draw to have surgery on his right heel.

“Hi all, I regret to inform you that I am forced to withdraw from Open Parc de

Lyon and the French Open next week,” the French number one tweeted.

“I have been bothered by a calcaneal spur since Monte-carlo at my right heel which prevents me from moving properly on court. I have decided to undergo a small procedure this week to treat the issue before returning to competitive play.”

The 35-year-old, a semifinalist at the French Open in 2008 and currently ranked 22 in the world, is one of the great entertainers on court and a big favourite on the red clay of Roland Garros.

He started the season well by winning in Adelaide and reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. But he struggled on the clay and, already bothered by his heel, pulled out in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

His announcement comes a day after he and his wife, the Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina, former number three in the world, revealed that they are expecting their first child, a girl, in October.