Federer out of French Open

Roger Federer withdrew from the French Open on Thursday after failing to recover from a back injury, bringing to an end the 17-time major winner's run of 65 consecutive Grand Slams.

"I regret to announce that I have made the decision not to play in this year's French Open," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"I have been making steady progress with my overall fitness, but I am not 100% and feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am ready.

"This decision was not easy to make, but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career," the Swiss veteran added in his statement.

"I remain as motivated and excited as ever and my plan is to achieve the highest level of fitness before returning to the ATP World Tour for the upcoming grass court season.

"I am sorry for my fans in Paris but I very much look forward to returning to Roland Garros in 2017."

Federer's withdrawal from the French Open, which starts on Sunday, means that Rafael Nadal will be promoted to fourth seed in Friday's draw behind Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and defending champion Stan Wawrinka.