Monfils withdraws from French Open with heel injury

PARIS (AP) — Gael Monfils

withdrew from the French Open on Monday because of an injury to his right heel that will require minor surgery.

Monfils, France's highest-ranked player at No. 22, said he has been hampered by the lesion in his foot since the Monte Carlo Masters in April, adding that the he can't move properly on court.

The 35-year-old veteran also withdrew from this week's Lyon Open, which serves as a warm-up event for the clay-court Grand Slam.

The French Open starts on Sunday.

Monfils reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2008 and made it to the quarterfinals on three other occasions.

Monfils's wife, Elina Svitolina, will also skip Roland Garros, where she reached the quarterfinals three times. Mental strain led to the former third-ranked Ukrainian's decision to take a break from tennis.

On Sunday, Monfils and Svitolina

announced that they are expecting their first child, a girl, in October.

"With a heart full of love and happiness," they wrote, "we are delighted to announce that we are expecting a baby girl in October."

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