Australia's [Images] Lleyton Hewitt [Images] is a major doubt for this month's French Open after breaking two ribs in a fall. The world number two, still recovering from surgery on his right toe, suffered the injury in a freak accident at his Sydney home on Monday.
"It is an unfortunate mishap and very disappointing," Hewitt's coach Roger Rasheed told Australian media on Wednesday.
"We will do our best to be ready for the French Open."
Hewitt's absence at Roland Garros would be a further blow to Australia's chances of winning on the red clay of Paris.
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Australia's highest ranked female, Alicia Molik [Images], has already pulled out because of injury and former Wimbledon [Images] finalist Mark Philippoussis turned down the offer of wildcard.The 24-year-old Hewitt has not played since injuring his toe after losing to Roger Federer [Images] in the final at Indian Wells in March.
The Australian Open [Images] finalist withdrew from Masters tournaments in Rome, Monte Carlo, Miami [Images] and Hamburg and was planning to make his comeback at the World Team Cup in Germany [Images] until cracking his ribs.
The news comes less than a week after Hewitt and his actress fiancee, Bec Cartwright, announced they were expecting their first child later this year.
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