Sunday 10 May 2015 17:23, UK
Milos Raonic has ruled himself out of the Rome Masters next week due to a foot injury which requires surgery and is now a major doubt for the French Open.
Raonic was knocked out of the Madrid Open on Friday by Andy Murray in the quarter-finals where he was clearly struggling for movement, although he managed to complete the match.
"I will be undergoing surgery to repair a nerve in my right foot. I withdrew from Rome to be ready to compete as soon as possible," the 24-year-old Canadian tweeted.
His spokseman, Austin Nunn, said there was no structual damage to the foot.
"That's the good news. The bad news is every single time (he steps) it literally feels like he's stepping on a tack or jellyfish, is the equivalent," Nunn told the Toronto Star.
"He is trying to get ready to play the French Open," Nunn added. "Rome is unfortunately just when the surgery can be done."
The world No 6 suffered the injury at the Monte Carlo Masters in April where he was forced to retire from his quarter-final match against Tomas Berdych.
The French Open, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year, gets underway in Paris on May 24.
Don't miss all the action from next week's Rome Masters live on Sky Sports 3 from 10am on Monday 11 May.
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