The French Open has suffered another blow with Gael Monfils joining Roger Federer in pulling out of the tournament.

Federer withdrew because of a back injury on Thursday, and on Friday morning tournament organisers announced Monfils will not be able to play due to a virus.

The 29-year-old, who was born in Paris, would have been a dark horse at Roland Garros after the most consistent start to a season in his career.

Monfils is famously up and down but reached at least the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo. At the latter he went all the way to the final before losing to Rafael Nadal in three sets.

But Monfils began to struggle with illness at the Rome Masters, where he lost in the first round to Thomaz Bellucci, and has not recovered in time.

Monfils, who made the semi-finals in Paris in 2008 and is a three-time quarter-finalist, would have been seeded 13th.

Italian Fabio Fognini was due to be a dangerous floater in the draw but will now be elevated to 32nd seed.