Monfils Withdraws from French Open with Heel Injury

France's Gael Monfils serves the ball to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their 2022 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid on May 3, 2022. (AFP)
France's Gael Monfils serves the ball to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their 2022 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid on May 3, 2022. (AFP)
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Monfils Withdraws from French Open with Heel Injury

France's Gael Monfils serves the ball to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their 2022 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid on May 3, 2022. (AFP)
France's Gael Monfils serves the ball to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their 2022 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid on May 3, 2022. (AFP)

Gael Monfils withdrew from the French Open on Monday because of an injury to his right heel that will require minor surgery.

Monfils, France's highest-ranked player at No. 22, said he has been hampered by the lesion in his foot since the Monte Carlo Masters in April, adding that the he can't move properly on court.

The 35-year-old veteran also withdrew from this week's Lyon Open, which serves as a warm-up event for the clay-court Grand Slam.

The French Open starts on Sunday.

Monfils reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2008 and made it to the quarterfinals on three other occasions.

Monfils's wife, Elina Svitolina, will also skip Roland Garros, where she reached the quarterfinals three times. Mental strain led to the former third-ranked Ukrainian’s decision to take a break from tennis.

On Sunday, Monfils and Svitolina announced that they are expecting their first child, a girl, in October.

"With a heart full of love and happiness," they wrote, "we are delighted to announce that we are expecting a baby girl in October."



Verbeek and Siniakova Win Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Title

10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
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Verbeek and Siniakova Win Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Title

10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa

Czech Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands claimed the Wimbledon mixed doubles title on Thursday, defeating Britain's Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani 7-6(3) 7-6(3).

Facing home favorite Salisbury and Stefani on Centre Court, the Czech-Dutch duo held their nerve, while Stefani appeared to be hampered by a leg issue in the second set.

As Siniakova sealed victory with an overhead smash, the duo celebrated their first title together, Siniakova’s maiden mixed doubles Grand Slam and Verbeek’s first Grand Slam triumph of any kind.

"It’s very special, I mean it means a lot -- we had a lot of fun on the court and I really enjoyed it, it was a really amazing time here," Siniakova said after lifting the trophy.

For the 29-year-old Siniakova, the win added to her 10 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, including the Australian Open crown with American Taylor Townsend in January.

"Katerina, thank you so much, it’s been an honor to compete next to such a great doubles legend, one of the best to ever do it and thank you for making this a Thursday I will remember for the rest of my life," Reuters quoted the 31-year-old Verbeek as saying.

Salisbury, who faced the disappointment of home fans hoping to see a British champion, said margins did not fall in his and Stefani’s favor.

"It's always tough to lose a final but they played amazing so congratulations. They were too good in the tie-breaks today," Salisbury said.