7 recently retired players who will be missed at the 2023 French Open, ft. Roger Federer & Serena Williams

The 2023 French Open is just a couple of weeks away, and most of the top players are set to arrive in Paris following the conclusion of the ongoing Italian Open. However, there's still a shadow of doubt regarding Rafael Nadal's participation.

The Spaniard is a 14-time champion at the venue but remains sidelined due to an injury he picked up in January. If he ends up participating, Nadal will head to Roland Garros without playing a single match on clay beforehand for the first time in history.

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka are the leading title contenders. While most of the players who competed in recent years will be present this time as well, some prolific athletes walked away from the sport last year.

Here's a look at some recently retired players who won't grace the French Open with their presence this year:

#7 Gilles Simon

Gilles Simon at the 2022 Paris Masters.

Home favorite Gilles Simon competed in 17 editions of the French Open but won't be present this time. He retired towards the end of 2022, with the Paris Masters being the final tournament of his career.

After a string of poor results, Simon's last appearance at Roland Garros was successful. He made it to the third round last year, where he lost to Marin Cilic in straight sets.

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#6 Ashleigh Barty

Ashleigh Barty at the 2019 French Open.

Ashleigh Barty won her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2019 French Open. She didn't defend her title the following year, opting to skip the tournament due to the pandemic. Her last appearance at the venue was in 2021, when she retired midway through her second-round contest due to an injury.

Barty claimed her third Major title at last year's Australian Open. A few weeks later, she shocked the world by announcing her retirement.

Her calm demeanor masked the fierce competitor within her. The Australian was beloved by fans and fellow players alike, so her absence will be sorely felt this time around.

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#5 Kevin Anderson

Kevin Anderson at the 2018 ATP Finals.

Kevin Anderson played the final match of his career at the 2022 Miami Open, losing to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in three sets. He reached a couple of Grand Slam finals and enjoyed some modest success at Roland Garros.

Anderson's best result at the French Open was reaching the fourth round on four occasions. A reserved personality on the tour, the South African was still one of the fan favorites.

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#4 Kim Clijsters

Kim Clijsters at the 2022 Atlanta Open.

Kim Clijsters embarked on a second comeback in 2020, but it didn't go as planned due to the pandemic and injuries. She didn't win a single match during her second innings and hung up her racquet for good in April 2022.

Fans were hoping to see Clijsters in action in Paris, but she never got to compete at the French Open during her second comeback. She reached a couple of finals at the venue, but she lost to Jennifer Capriati in 2001 and Justine Henin in 2003.

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#3 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the 2022 French Open.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga played the final match of his career at last year's French Open. He lost to Casper Ruud in the first round, capping off a glittering career in front of his home crowd. He was a two-time semifinalist in Paris.

Expectations were high for Tsonga to win a title at Roland Garros, especially after reaching the final of the Australian Open. Along with his compatriots, he spearheaded the French challenge for a long time and delivered some fantastic results, despite never tasting Grand Slam glory.

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#2 Serena Williams

Serena Williams at the 2021 French Open.

After more than two decades on the court, Serena Williams finally called it quits last year. She spent most of 2022 recovering from an injury and was unable to make a trip to Paris in the final season of her career.

Williams won three titles at the French Open, emerging victorious in 2002, 2013, and 2015. She made it to the final in 2016 as well but lost to Garbine Muguruza. She also won the doubles title alongside sister Venus Williams in 1999 and 2010.

Williams was a crowd favorite in Paris and often spoke in French during her on-court interviews. After being a tour mainstay for so long, the American has left a void that'll be hard to fill.

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#1 Roger Federer

Roger Federer at the 2021 French Open.

Roger Federer bid adieu to the sport in an emotional ceremony at last year's Laver Cup. Injuries derailed a proper farewell tour, but fans were more than happy to see him compete alongside his arch-rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic one last time.

Federer's first appearance at Roland Garros was in 1999, which also marked his Grand Slam debut. He lost in the first round. He later made three consecutive finals in Paris from 2006 to 2008 but lost to Nadal on each occasion. The Swiss ace finally laid his hands on the winner's trophy in 2009, completing a career Grand Slam.

Federer's final appearance at the French Open was in 2021. He made it to the fourth round but withdrew prior to his match due to an injury. After entertaining fans for so long, the tennis community is still getting used to his absence from the tour.