Gael Monfils withdraws from Wimbledon despite return to training after surgery on foot injury

Gael Monfils has pulled out of Wimbledon despite recently returning to training after a foot injury.

The injury forced him to miss his home major at Roland-Garros, and now the 35-year-old is focusing on making the warm-up events for the US Open – the final Grand Slam of the year which starts on August 29.

“I have started to train again this week and I have felt really good,” Monfils said in a Twitter thread.

“I will now be able to increase gradually my training and spend more time on the court to get back in shape both from a physical and tennis point of view.

“Due to my recent return to training and because of the physical demands of grass court tennis / best of five matches, my team and I have taken the decision not to play Wimbledon this year.

“I will focus instead on my preparation to be ready for the summer. I will return to competition in Hamburg followed by Kizbuhel before travelling to the US. See you all soon, Gael.”

Monfils had been enjoying a fruitful year on the ATP Tour, winning his opening event in Adelaide before reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where he lost a tight encounter in five sets to Matteo Berrettini.

In his most recent match, Monfils lost 6-3 6-2 to Djokovic in Madrid, and went on to confirm in May that he would require a “small procedure” on his right heel.

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