ROME — Nine-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi broke his right shin during a crash in practice Saturday for the Italian Grand Prix and had surgery. It was not immediately clear how long he will be sidelined.

"The operation on Valentino Rossi is over and everything went OK," said Dr. Claudio Costa, head of the medical facility at the Mugello track where the rider was injured.

Rossi managed to get up after the accident, gripping his right calf. He waved as he was moved to a stretcher before being taken to the track's medical center. He was flown by helicopter to Florence's Careggi medical center.

"It's an injury more serious than we thought, because it's an exposed fracture with the bone protruding from the skin," Dr. Claudio Macchiagodena, the MotoGP medical director, said on the circuit's website.

Rossi's father said the family doesn't know how long his recovery would take.

"He was in a lot of pain for 20 minutes, but now he will have all the time necessary to recover," Graziano Rossi said. "He needs to recover fully before returning. It could be one month, it could be five, it isn't important. He is in no rush."

Rossi is second in the standings and this will be the first time he has not competed in his home Grand Prix, a race he has won nine times. It also ends his record run of 230 successive MotoGP races since his debut in the 125cc class at the 1996 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Rossi reportedly lost control of his Yamaha while changing direction between curves at turn 13 on his second practice run. He was flipped in the air and landed on his right leg.

French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who like Rossi is Italian, was asked at her postmatch news conference about his injury. She hadn't heard, and her face went blank when told.

She said she's a big fan of his and said, in Italian: "He showed me how to win trophies. I've followed his career. My best wishes to him."