Tennis News: Frenchman Gael Monfils ruled out due to injury
Currently ranked no. 12 in the World, Gael Monfils of France has been retracted from 2011 SAP Open due to a wrist injury, shortly after making it through to the semi-finals of the tournament. It is most likely that the professional will miss out on the first
round match to be played between France and Austria at the Davis Cup event next month.
Monfils went head-to-head with Tim Smyczek of the United States in the quarter-finals of the 2011 SAP Open. The professional took the first set 6-4 and the second set 7-6 to make a place for himself in the semi-finals of the tournament. However, as Monfils
pulled out of the tournament due to his injury, Milos Raonic of Canada received a walk over to be put through to the championship final.
As stated by the organizers of the 2011 SAP Open on the official website, "SAP Open number two seed Gael Monfils was forced to withdraw from the semi-finals due to a left wrist injury (inflammation) and has also withdrawn from Memphis, Acapulco and Davis Cup.
He will be out for four to six weeks and hopes to return for Indian Wells."
Gael's wrist was originally injured at the 2011 Australian Open played earlier this year. The professional had been in pain all week in spite of the fact that he had been progressing at the tournament, having started off defeating tennis great, Pete Sampras
of the United States, in an exhibition match. Additionally, Monfils' injury does not allow him to effectively play his two-handed backhand shot.
"It's been a month and a half that I've had this pain, I can't hit my backhand. I tried, but my backhand is very soft. I have a better backhand than I showed here - more powerful," said the Frenchman.
Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro made it through to the semi-finals upon defeating the no. 7 seed, Lleyton Hewitt of Australia. Hewitt was beaten 6-2 and 6-3 to be sent home. Meanwhile, Spaniard Fernando Verdasco got rid of Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in the
quarter-final match played between the two. Istomin was beaten 6-4 and 6-4 in straight sets as Fernando advanced to the semis.
Furthermore, Verdasco and Del Potro will battle it out in the semi-finals of the 2011 SAP Open for a place in the championship final to oppose Canada's Milos Raonic.
Tags: