Injured Roddick will sit out French Open

DUESSELDORF, Germany - Andy Roddick withdrew from the French Open yesterday because of a right shoulder injury and hopes to be ready for Wimbledon.

The sixth-ranked American, who lost in the first round at Roland Garros the last two years, retired from the semifinals of the Rome Masters May 10. He skipped the Hamburg Masters last week, but had been expected to play this week at the World Team Cup in Duesseldorf.

"Andy is pulling out with an upper back shoulder injury, the same thing that he had in Rome," said John Roddick, Andy's brother and the US captain at the World Team Cup.

John Roddick said he hoped his brother would be ready for the grass-court tournament at Queen's Club, a key warmup for Wimbledon.

Andy Roddick won his only major title at the 2003 US Open. He has reached three other major finals, losing to Roger Federer twice at Wimbledon and once at the US Open.

At the French Open, Roddick's best showing came in his debut in 2001 when he reached the third round. He reached the second round in 2004 and '05, but he has lost in the first round four times.

But his success this year in Rome had given Roddick hope ahead of the French Open, which starts Sunday. The former top-ranked player has won two titles this season, in San Jose and Dubai.