Tennis-Former champion Wawrinka withdraws from French Open

[May 18, 2021]    By Sudipto Ganguly

(Reuters) - Former champion Stan Wawrinka has pulled out of the French Open after failing to recover sufficiently from an operation he underwent on his left foot in March, a source told Reuters on Tuesday.

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka in action during his second round match against Hungary's Marton Fucsovics REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

The 36-year-old Swiss, who won the claycourt Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2015, has not played on the Tour since his opening round loss in March.

The three-times Grand Slam champion, a former world number three, then underwent a minor procedure on his left foot and at the time said he will be out for a few weeks.

The world number 24 has been sharing videos and photos on social media from his base in Monaco but the source said he will not be ready for the claycourt Grand Slam, which starts in Paris on May 30.

His goal will be to return to the Tour during the grasscourt season ahead of the Grand Slam at Wimbledon from June 28, the source added.

Wawrinka's team and the French Open did not immediately respond to request for comment.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Berhampore, India; editing by Christian Radnedge)

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