Paris tots up list of injuries

US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, ATP Tour winner Nikolay Davydenko and ex-women's world number one Kim Clijsters have all fallen victim to the gruelling tennis schedule and will miss the French Open, starting tomorrow.

But they can take inspiration from former French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

Having wrapped up a record sixth Monte Carlo title in April, Nadal then stunned organisers of the following week's Barcelona tournament by pulling out.

The Spaniard, who has suffered a series of problems with his knees which meant he was unable to defend his Wimbledon title in 2009, decided that three straight weeks of intense claycourt tennis would put his fitness at risk.

"My goal is to remain healthy and fit," said Nadal, who wanted the week-long break before playing in Rome where he was champion again.

The world number two said that three straight weeks of elite clay events - Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome - were too much in too short a period, another blast at the ATP calendar which he has long complained is helping to cause injuries and burnout.

"Over the years you gain experience," said Nadal.

"I'm being as cautious as possible, I want to have as long a career as possible. Tennis isn't like football, you don't know how many matches you will play."

Nadal seems to have learned from his over-playing a year ago, in which he won Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome in three weeks, then lost the Madrid final a fortnight later to Roger Federer.

That was followed by a first-ever defeat at the French Open with a loss to Robin Soderling ending his hopes of a fifth successive title in Paris.

This season he swept the Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid Masters and is now widely-expected to regain his French Open title.

Twelve months ago, Argentina's Del Potro pushed Federer to five sets in the semi-finals at Roland Garros before going on to defeat the Swiss in the US Open final.

However, the giant Argentine hasn't played since January's Australian Open where he spent almost 15 hours on court and played a total of 18 sets in four matches.

The world number five has undergone wrist surgery and will be out of action until September, meaning missing out on his US Open title defence.

Davydenko, sixth in the world, hasn't played since a second round pullout at Indian Wells in March and, like Del Potro, has been bedevilled by wrist trouble.

David Nalbandian is another high-profile absentee. The 28-year-old, who missed 12 months of action because of a hip injury, is now suffering from hamstring trouble. The former world number eight has slipped to 150 on the rankings.

Clijsters, the runner-up in 2004 and 2006, also announced her withdrawal because of an ankle problem.

"It's really a shame to give up on Roland Garros," Clijsters told reporters earlier this month.

"Paris is so close that I always feel a little at home. And that's where I played my first Grand Slam final.

"It's really a shame to give up on Roland Garros, but the foot pain forces me to throw in the towel."