Roddick out of French Open with back injury

World number six Andy Roddick has pulled out of next week’s French Open because of a problem with his back and shoulder, his brother John Roddick said on Monday at the World Team Cup in Duesseldorf.

The American former world number one sustained the injury at this month’s Rome Masters and had to pull out of his semi-final match against Stanislas Wawrinka trailing 3-0 in the first set.

“Andy recently played as well as never before on clay,” his brother, who is the U.S. team captain at the World Team Cup, said in a statement released by Duesseldorf organisers.

“But last Friday his back problems resurfaced,” he said. “After an examination by a specialist in New York he was forced to withdraw. Andy now has to rest for 10 to 12 days and will neither be able to play the French Open.”

The big-serving 2003 U.S. Open champion has never made it past the third round at Roland Garros and fell in the first round the past two years.

Bobby Reynolds has been drafted in to replace Roddick at the World Team Cup, organisers said.