Gael Monfils Forced to Withdraw from Roland Garros Due to Left Wrist Injury

Gael Monfils’ dreams of continuing his Roland Garros journey were dashed as he announced his withdrawal due to a left wrist injury, just 24 hours after producing a magical performance in the first round. The announcement came as a huge blow for the French tennis star ahead of his match against sixth seed Holger Rune on Thursday evening.

Monfils said in a press conference that although he felt physically fine, the issue with his wrist was something he could not solve. This would have been his 18th appearance at the French Open and Monfils had come into the tournament full of confidence after reaching the semifinals last year.

The 34-year-old had urged fans to remain positive after his withdrawal, saying: “It’s tough but I think it’s better to stop now and not take any risk because at the end of the day I need to be healthy.” He also expressed pride for pushing himself as far as possible before deciding that he couldn’t go on.

The withdrawal of Monfils leaves the tournament without one of its most flamboyant personalities, who was planning to fight for his first Grand Slam title. His misfortune has been acknowledged by many fans and fellow players alike as they send their best wishes to the six-time ATP Tour champion.

Monfils’ absence from Roland Garros also marks the end of an era, as it was his last appearance at the tournament. His withdrawal is a huge loss for the tournament and a reminder of how fragile and unpredictable sport can be at times.