Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini, aged 35, has announced that he is withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters due to a foot injury. Fognini made his debut on the clay courts of Monte Carlo back in 2009 and since then, he has made 13 consecutive appearances at the tournament. Unfortunately, this year Fognini will be missing the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time in nearly 15 years.
Fognini captured his first and lone Masters title in Monte Carlo four years ago. In a recent announcement through his Instagram Story, Fognini expressed his disappointment over his inability to play in this year’s tournament due to his foot injury, which was sustained during his match at the Estoril Open. He said, “I am sad to announce that I wonāt be able to play the upcoming Monte Carlo tournament. Unfortunately the foot injury I sustained in Estoril is still under review and the pain wonāt allow me to play. Iām devastated. You all know how much I love Monte Carlo. I want to publicly thank the organizers for the wild card. I hope to be back on court again soon.”
Fognini is not the only one to pull out of the Monte Carlo Masters this year. Earlier this week, record 11-time Monte Carlo champion Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the opening Masters clay tournament of the year. Nadal has not played since the Australian Open and he does not feel 100% to compete. “Unfortunately I am still not ready to compete and will miss one of those special tournaments I always love to play. Monte Carlo is and has been a key event on my career, but unfortunately I will have to miss it again since I am still not ready to compete without the risk of getting injured. I will continue the process of getting ready to come back,” Nadal said in an official press release.
Just moments after Nadal withdrew, Carlos Alcaraz also announced his withdrawal. “I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come. See you in 2024,” Alcaraz said. Hours after Nadal and Alcaraz pulled out, Felix Auger-Aliassime also withdrew from Monte Carlo.