Richard Gasquet will not represent France at next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after a back problem forced him to pull out.

A bronze medallist in doubles action at the London Games four years ago, Gasquet’s place in the French team will go to Benoit Paire.

World number 14 Gasquet was forced to retire from his fourth-round match against fellow Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, at Wimbledon earlier this month.

The French Tennis Federation confirmed on Monday that he has not recovered sufficiently to make an appearance in Brazil.

“Injured in the back, Richard Gasquet has withdrawn from competing in the Olympics. He will be replaced by Benoit Paire,” the FFT said in a statement. Gasquet, 30, also missed out on an Olympic appearance in Beijing eight years ago.

He was however present at London 2012, where he and Julien Benneteau teamed-up to bring home a bronze medal for France.

A persistent back problem has been troubling Gasquet in recent times and that has proved enough to stop him making his second Olympic appearance.

World number 24 Paire will instead compete in the singles after being called up as a replacement while Gael Monfils will now team-up with Tsonga in the doubles event. The Olympic tennis tournament runs from August 7-15 in Rio.

Gasquet will hope to be back on track in time for the season’s final Grand Slam, the US Open, at Flushing Meadows which begins on August 29 in Queens, New York City.