Monfils replaced by Goffin at Tour Finals

LONDON ( Reuters) - Frenchman Gael Monfils withdrew from the ATP World Tour Finals with a rib injury on Wednesday meaning Novak Djokovic will play alternate David Goffin in his final group match.

World number six Monfils, a debutant at the tournament after an impressive year in which he reached the U.S. Open semi-final, could not make the last four in London after losses to Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem in his opening two matches.

"Definitely I can't play for tomorrow because I feel worse and worse with my ribs," he told reporters.

"I couldn't practise."

Monfils sustained the injury in Stockholm in October and was told that it would be a six-week recovery period.

"I tried to make it, but I couldn't," he said.

Defending champion Djokovic has already booked a semi-final spot but will be desperate to beat Belgium's Goffin to grab another 200 points in the race to beat Andy Murray to the end-of-year world number one ranking.

Goffin finished the year ranked 11th.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)