Hewitt withdraws from French Open

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt added to the list of high-profile French Open withdrawals on Sunday morning only a couple of hours before he was due on court for his first-round match.

The Australian has been increasingly troubled by injuries in recent years, chiefly hip problems, but an injury to his left ankle was given as the reason for his absence in Paris.

Hewitt, who last played an ATP World Tour match in March, has been replaced in the draw by French veteran Marc Gicquel, who will play Spain's Albert Montanes in the second match on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Robredo have all pulled out of the tournament in recent days while Serena and Venus Williams announced they would not be heading to Paris earlier this week.