Del Potro underwent wrist surgery and out for 5 months

US Open champion and world number five Juan Martin del Potro withdraws from Roland Garros and Wimbledon and faces a lengthy lay-off after undergoing wrist surgery in the United States on Tuesday.

The Argentine, 21, suffered with tendinitis in his right wrist as far back as October and has not played since January's Australian Open.

He will undergo surgery in Minnesota before returning to Argentina.

"It's not a happy moment in my life," he said, adding that the expected recuperation time will be "prolonged".

"The recuperation time is prolonged but it depends on many factors which today one cannot measure because it's all very recent," said Del Potro.

"I will get through the first days post-operation here and later return home."

Del Potro is now certain to miss the French Open and the rest of his season appears in doubt.

When he won the US Open last September, the Argentine became the first man other than Rafael Nadal to beat Roger Federer in the final of a Grand Slam tournament.