Argentine duo set to miss Roland Garros

 

Originally published on: 11/05/11 09:51

David Nalbandian will miss the French Open after illness affected his recovery from injury.

The 29-year-old Argentine, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2004 and 2006, lost 6kg after tearing a hamstring and undergoing a hernia operation and has not played since he defeated Romania’s Adrian Ungur in a Davis Cup tie in March.

Bernardo Ballero, a spokesman for the Cordoba native, said the world No.24 was “not right physically” for the second Grand Slam of the year, but added that the 2002 Wimbledon finalist hopes to return in time for the AEGON Championships at Queen’s Club on 6-12 June.

Meanwhile, fellow Argentine Juan Martin del Potro also looks set to miss Roland Garros after tearing a hip muscle.

The 22-year-old Tandil native had to pull out of the Madrid Masters tournament ahead of an intriguing clash with world No.1 Rafael Nadal last week, and has since been quoted as saying; “At this stage I do not know how long I will be unable to play but it is unlikely that I will be fit enough in time for Roland Garros.

“I want to take things calmly without hurrying my return to the circuit.”

The 2009 US Open champion had made positive strides in recent months after missing the majority of the 2010 season with a wrist injury, picking up his eighth and ninth career titles in Delray Beach and Estoril.

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