BIG BLOW! Milos Raonic Encounters a Major Setback Before Beginning French Open 2021 campaign

Published 05/30/2021, 6:41 AM EDT

In more grim news for the organizers, Canadian tennis star Milos Raonic has withdrawn from this year’s French Open. While the current World No.18 hasn’t clarified on the reason for his pullout, reports suggest that he withdrew with an injury.

His place in the main draw will be taken by the Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, who will play Brazilian Thiago Monteiro in the first round instead of the big Canadian.

Milos Raonic hadn’t played any events since Miami Open

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Raonic’s withdrawal isn’t perhaps a surprise for many as he had not featured in any Tour events since his fourth-round loss to eventual champion Hubert Hurkacz at the Miami Open.

With hardly any matches under his belt and a big question mark around his fitness, his decision not to play the French Open was perhaps on expected lines.

The announcement adds to big-name pullouts from the Roland-Garros following earlier withdrawals by 2018 champion Simona Halep and in-form Canadian star Denis Shapovalov.

A two-time Grand Slam champion and a proven stalwart on clay, Halep announced that she had pulled her name out of the French Open draw because of an injury she suffered at the Italian Open.

The 29-year-old Romanian was leading three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber by a set in her Rome opener before she picked up a muscle injury which eventually forced her to concede the tie.

Watch This Story: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Venus Williams and Others’ Altercation With the Chair Umpire at French Open 2021

Shapovalov seemed to have to hit his strides on clay this season, with a strong performance against Rafael Nadal in Rome and a runner-up finish at Geneva Open.

However, a fitness issue, which reportedly affected his game during the Geneva final against Norwegian Casper Ruud, eventually forced him to pull out of the French Open as well.

Raonic had earlier voiced misgivings over French Open postponement

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The postponement of the French Open left many upset, including Raonic. He had earlier voiced his displeasure over the postponement of the event , claiming that he got to know of it on Twitter.

Later, the Canadian also tweeted on the reduced prize money for the doubles champions at this year’s French Open, accusing the organizers of getting away with whatever they want.

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“Disappointed by the FFT disregarding the doubles prize money and cutting them out significantly. They just do however they want. With no regard,” Raonic wrote.

“They Just Do However They Want”: Milos Raonic Disappointed with French Open 2021 Over Prize Money Reduction

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Priyabrata Chowdhury is a tennis author for EssentiallySports. He has been a print journalist for a decade, producing news pages for leading national dailies such as the Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express. His passion for sports eventually drove him to tennis writing.

BIG BLOW! Milos Raonic Encounters a Major Setback Before Beginning French Open 2021 campaign

Milos Raonic hadn’t played any events since Miami Open

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Raonic had earlier voiced misgivings over French Open postponement