Nadal to miss French Open warm-up tournament in Monte Carlo

Rafael Nadal's preparation for a tilt at a record-extending 15th French Open title suffered a blow when he announced Tuesday his withdrawal from the upcoming Monte Carlo Masters.

"Hi everyone, I'm still not ready to compete at the highest level," the 36-year-old Spaniard tweeted.

"I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo."

The Monte Carlo tournament, which Nadal has won 11 times, begins on Saturday. The French Open gets under way on May 28.