Gael Monfils has returned the wild card he initially received for the Winston-Salem Open as he instead opts to withdraw from the tournament ahead of the US Open next week.

Former world No. 6 Monfils was expected to compete at the ATP 250 event in North Carolina as part of his preparation for the upcoming US Open which starts on August 28.

The Frenchman reached the finals of the Winston-Salem Open ten years ago in 2013, but he decided not to return to the tournament this time around.

Monfils' withdrawal was announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, by the tournament director Jeff Ryan, who told fans that the 36-year-old had returned his wild card.

"Dear valued fans: Gael Monfils has decided to return his wild card to the Winston-Salem Open. He has had an exceptional run during this hard court swing and we wish him continued success tonight in Cincinnati and in New York at the US Open," Ryan wrote.

This means that 18-year-old Alex Michelsen was confirmed as the direct beneficiary in the main draw.

Monfils has had a long three weeks so far on the North American swing, playing four tournaments in three weeks. He began at the Atlanta Open, taking place at the end of July, where he was defeated in his opening round by Thanasi Kokkinakis. 

Monfils then went on to the DC Open, where he reached the Round of 16 before losing to eventual finalist Tallon Griekspoor. He then followed this up with the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Canada, the National Bank Canadian Open, where he reached the quarter-finals before being beaten by eventual champion Jannik Sinner.

Following this, Monfils moved on to the Cincinnati Open, where he went out in his third-round match against 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

Ryan acknowledged the long and difficult calendar that Monfils has endured recently.

"We know many of you are disappointed in this news as are we. These are unfortunately the realities of a global sport with a long, arduous calendar. Please know our whole team and our player field will be sure to put on a world-class event, and we look forward to making new memories this year with all of you," he said.

Monfils will now take a week to recharge before heading to the US Open.