Tennis star pulls out with ‘health problem’ after getting Covid vaccine booster
Australian Open quarter-finalist Gael Monfils says that he will be unable to play at next week's Davis Cup after he says he suffered health complications which "probably" arrived after receiving a third booster dose of a vaccine against Covid-19.
Currently ranked as the world's 25th best men's player, Monfils made the announcement in a brief statement published on social media in which he explained his recent ill-health.
His withdrawal from France's Davis Cup team makes it four events that he has pulled out of, with the list also including events in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai.
Gael Monfils needing a rest after a "small health problem following his third dose". Skips the Davis Cup. Hoping to be back for Indian Wells and Miami. https://t.co/hklJdsvPgN
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) February 22, 2022
"Hello everyone, I wanted to give you some news following my recent rest in tournaments," Monfils wrote on social media.
"I suffered a small health problem (probably following my third dose of vaccine).
"On the advice of my doctor, I decided to take time to rest.
"Unfortunately, I won't be able to play the Davis Cup next week.
"I hope to be able to return to the United States."
Monfils last competed at the Montpellier Open in his native France in late January in which he endured a shock 6-1, 6-2 defeat at the hands of rank outsider Mikael Ymer – a match which came just days after a pulsating five-round defeat to Matteo Berrettini in the Australian Open last-eight.
"I wasn't good tonight," he wrote on Twitter after the loss.
"I don't want to tweet only the victories and the positive side.
"I played badly and it would be too easy to say that I should have done it like this or like that. I know that many of you were expecting me at the highest level for my first tournament of the year in France and I am the first to be disappointed.
"The season just started. There will be great matches, disappointments and victories. But that's also tennis. We win together but we also lose together. Now it's time to recover well and prepare for the next tournament."
He had also previously stated that he was "very motivated" to represent his country in the Davis Cup.
Monfils had satisfied Covid-19 vaccines mandates to gain entry to Australia for the first Grand Slam event of the year last month, though it remains unclear when he received his third shot of the vaccine.
