Juan Monaco has been forced to withdraw from the Australian Open in January as he is still recovering from wrist surgery. The 31 year-old from Argentina underwent surgery in August and, despite having already hit some balls in practice, has decided to ensure his recovery is complete before going back on tour.
Although he hasn’t featured since falling injured in Kitzbuhel in the summer, Monaco’s ranking is still at 53 and the player from Tandil will aim to come back strong in a moment when Argentine tennis needs its leading players more than ever. The fact that only four players will feature in the main draw in Melbourne (Mayer, Delbonis, Pella and Schwatrzmann) is an alarming reality check for a nation that has gone through a golden era since the turn of the century and is desperately crying out for the returns of Juan Monaco and Juan Martin Del Potro.
