Gasquet out of Australian Open with back injury

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – World number nine Richard Gasquet has pulled out of the Australian Open with a back injury, organisers said on Wednesday.

“Sorry to report that @richardgasquet1 has withdrawn from the #AusOpen with a back injury. We wish him a speedy recovery,” organisers said on their Twitter account.

The 29-year-old Frenchman, a Wimbledon semi-finalist and quarter-finalist at the U.S. Open, has long suffered back problems and aggravated the injury while playing in exhibition tournaments this month.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)