RIO DE JANEIRO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian tennis player Gustavo Kuerten said Monday he will not play the French Open at Roland Garros due to a serious hip injury that still has not healed.

    The 29-year-old, a three-time winner in 1997, 2000 and 2001, known as "Guga" in Brazil, will miss his favorite international event for the first time in 10 years.

    "I will be very sad seeing the boys playing and not being able to take part," said the former world No. 1 player, "But later, most likely, I will have a chance to play there again."

    He told reporters that he had had two operations on his hip, and then spent two months recovering in the US state of Colorado. He is now under the supervision of Nilton Petrone, who helped Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo Nazario recover from a series of knee operations.

    "I have heard excellent things about him: the best being the Ronaldo case. I need a person who is used to facing this type of situation. That will give me the security I need to return to the circuit," he said. Enditem