Raonic pulls out of French Open

Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic has withdrawn from the French Open, the second Grand Slam event of the season, in a statement on Twitter.

Raonic did not reveal why he pulled out of Roland Garros, which begins May 27, but said he plans to resume competitive tennis in the grass season in June, reports Efe.

"It is with a heavy heart that I am withdrawing from Roland Garros. I have many great memories there, but I know I need to continue working hard to put myself in the best position when I step out on the court," Raonic tweeted.

"Thank you all for your support and see you soon on the grass," Raonic, a former top 10 player, added.

Although right knee issues forced Raonic, currently world No. 22, to withdraw from his Monte Carlo Masters round-of-16 clash against Croatia's Marin Cilic, he competed at the Madrid Open.

Raonic, 27, made it to the third round in Madrid, but lost to rising Canadian star Denis Shapovalov.

The 2016 Wimbledon runner-up to Britain's Andy Murray, Raonic reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 French Open, his best run at Roland Garros, but lost to Serbia's Novak Djokovic.

--IANS

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