Black Tennis Pros

The Press Association - Gael Monfils' hopes of repeating his French Open exploits of last year have been damaged after he was ruled out of action for up to a month with knee trouble.

The Frenchman will miss all the preparation tournaments for Roland Garros, which begins on May 24, as he is suffering from tendonitis in both knees.

Monfils, a semi-finalist at his home grand slam in 2008, should be fit for this year's event but his lack of practice on clay will not help his bid for the title.

The world number 10 was knocked out of the Monte Carlo Masters in the first round by Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets earlier this week.

PARIS (AFP) — French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has pulled out of the ATP tournament in Barcelona which starts on Monday with pain in his right knee, his agent revealed on Friday.

It was due to be the world number 11's first claycourt engagement of the season.

Fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils also pulled out of the tournament on Friday due to tendinitis in his knees.

"Jo is training in Geneva at the moment and felt something in his right knee," said Tsonga's agent Morgan Menahem, who said his client would return at the tournament in Rome the week after next.

"He won't go to Barcelona as a precaution, but it's nothing to worry about."

Tsonga, who has won two tournaments this season - in Johannesburg and Marseille - had already withdrawn from this week's Monte Carlo Masters in order to keep fresh.

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Newly coiffed Frenchman Gael Monfils may be stylishly ready for summer, but he definitely wasn't ready for the red clay courts of the Masters Series Monte Carlo Tennis Tournament today.

For the man who reached the semifinals of the French Open in 2008, you would never have known that Monfils can find comfort in playing on clay. He appeared to be totally ill at ease with the surface. Additionally, Monfils had both knees taped.

Monfils' opponent, Serb Janko Tipsarevic, appeared to be much more prepared and took Monfils to task. In little more than an hour Tipsarevic defeated Monfils 6-3, 6-1.

With regard to his bandaged knees, Monfils told reporters "No (I was not bothered by the bandages). I'm playing with it and I'm getting used to it,"

"They keep my knees very tight. I have pain when I take them off. In fact, my knees hurt when I climb the stairs."

Well, looks like you've got plenty of time to rest them now.

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