Gael Monfils' comeback from a knee injury won't start at the Winston-Salem Open after all.
    The 25-year-old Frenchman informed tournament director Bill Oakes that he will be unable to compete in the second annual tournament, which starts with qualifying on Saturday and the Main Draw on Sunday at the Wake Forest Tennix Complex.
    Monfils hasn't played competitively since May because of an injured right knee, and he was hoping to make his return to the ATP World Tour at the Winston-Salem Open. Unfortunately, he has suffered another setback in his rehabilitation.
    "We are sorry to announce that Gael has withdrawn from our tournament due to reactivating an injury," Oakes said. "He is a great player and we wish him the best in his recovery. We were all anxious for him to come to Winston-Salem because he's one of the most exciting and charismatic players on the tour. But we still have an outstanding field and this will give one more player the opportunity to make a name for himself."
    Monfils, who reached as high as No. 7 in the ATP rankings last year, had dropped to No. 35 currently because of his recent inactivity. He has four ATP World Tour titles and 13 other runner-up finishes.
    Monfils' withdrawal leaves the Winston-Salem Open with three of the Top 10 players in the current ATP rankings and 23 of the Top 50.