Murray's French hopes over

British hopes of long-awaited Wimbledon glory will inevitably rest on the 20-year-old Scot, who has taken on that burden from four-time losing semi-finalist Tim Henman.

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However, providing tests show only minor damage, he will have only two grass-court tournaments - the Artois Championships and the Boodles Challenge - in which to recover match sharpness.

World number 10 Murray would have been among the top 16 seeds at Roland Garros, where the year's second grand slam begins in eight days' time.

However the right wrist injury he sustained during his first-round match against Filippo Volandri in Hamburg on Tuesday, from which he retired in agony, has counted him out.

Coach Brad Gilbert revealed Murray would not be making the trip to Paris, and would instead focus on the grass-court season.

The Artois Championships at Queen's Club in London begin on June 11, a fortnight before Wimbledon, with the Boodles exhibition event in Buckinghamshire taking place from June 19-23. Wimbledon starts on June 25.

Gilbert said on his website, www.bradgilberttennis.com: "After a couple of back injuries and now a tendon injury in his wrist, let's hope bad things only happen in threes.

"'Junior' was serving for the first set with a 5-1 lead over Filippo Volandri in Hamburg and he went to hit a high forehand and hurt his wrist.

"He's pulled the plug on the clay-court season and we're hoping he'll be back and ready to compete at Queen's in a few weeks."

Murray's superb start to 2007 saw him continue to climb up the rankings, but injuries have recently hampered his progress. On this occasion he will be able to keep his general fitness high, providing he is careful of the wrist.

After a disappointing campaign on clay last year, the young Scot had hoped to do better on the surface in 2007 and pick up ranking points at tournaments where he failed 12 months ago.

But having also lost his first-round match at Rome earlier in May, the wrist problem means he is resigned to finishing the clay season without winning a match.

He lost his opener on grass at Queen's Club last year, but then enjoyed three magnificent months which saw him climb from 45th in the world into the top 20.

Murray will see a wrist specialist tomorrow and his personal website claims "there is always the possibility that the prognosis may change".

However Gilbert, having been in Hamburg with Murray, has been told by the Scot that their next tournament together will be in London.

Murray reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, knocking out Andy Roddick in straight sets in a memorable third-round match before losing to Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

He later reached the same stage at last summer's US Open and this year's Australian Open, where he bowed out after a thrilling five-set contest with world number two Rafael Nadal.