Injured Kuerten to miss Wimbledon
 |  Gustavo Kuerten willl not be appearing on the Wimbledon grass this year |
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HALLE, Germany -- Three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten will miss this year's Wimbledon Championships because of an injury to his right hip.
Kuerten, who has never been past the quarter-finals at the All England Club event, which begins June 21, said he wanted to be fit for the North American Masters Series at the end of July, the Athens Olympics and the U.S. Open.
"My goal now is to be fully recovered and to be in great shape I need, at least, six weeks of intense work," Kuerten, 27, said in a statement.
"I am motivated, playing tennis at a very high level and I know that (after) easing the pain I will be among the best players again," he added.
Kuerten will spend the next weeks at home in Florianopolis, Brazil, working with his physiotherapist and coach. He reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros before being ousted by David Nalbandian.
Wimbledon have already lost two of the biggest women's draws this week, Belgians Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, through illness and injury.
