RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 22: Gustavo Kuerten has decided to have an operation on a niggling hip injury that has affected his form this year and looks set to miss the French Open.

Arriving in Brazil after a painful first round defeat in the Buenos Aires Open, Kuerten confirmed that he would probably undergo surgery within the next two weeks.

“This is the most appropriate moment to do the operation. My return will depend on how long it takes me to recover from this minor surgery,” Kuerten told RBS TV in Florianopolis.

Unofficial estimates of the recovery period have ranged from two to six months.

Kuerten has already pulled out of next week’s tournament in Acapulco, Mexico.

If he goes ahead with the hip operation, it is likely that he will be unable to defend his title in the French Open, beginning May 27.

Kuerten was beaten in Buenos Aires by local hero Augustin Calleri on Tuesday.

The defeat in three sets means the Brazilian has now lost 11 or his last 12 matches.

His only other match so far in 2002 was a five-set loss to Julien Boutter in the first round of the Australian Open.

Immediately after the Calleri upset the Brazilian was still vowing to postpone surgery until after the prestigious French tournament.

“I don’t want to blame the result on the injury. That has nothing to do with today’s loss,” he said afterwards.

But after some reflection, Kuertens difficulty in moving around the court against Calleri, and his uncharacteristically poor serving, seems to have convinced him otherwise.

Kuerten is facing a slide down the ATP ranking if he goes through with the operation.

He dominated the clay circuit in 2001, winning 34 of 36 matches played on the slow surface.—Reuters