Nadal forced to withdraw from Australian Open due to illness
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File photo, Rafael Nadal smiles before the French L1 football match Paris Saint Germain (PSG) vs Reims (SR), on Oct 20, 2012 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. French Open champion Nadal has been forced to withdraw from next month's Australian Open due to a stomach virus that has disrupted his recovery from a knee injury, the world No. 4 said on Friday. -- PHOTO: AFP
MADRID (REUTERS) - French Open champion Rafael Nadal has been forced to withdraw from next month's Australian Open due to a stomach virus that has disrupted his recovery from a knee injury, the world No. 4 said on Friday.
"My knee is much better and the rehabilitation process has gone well as predicted by the doctors, but this virus didn't allow me to practise this past week," the Spaniard said in a statement.
"Therefore I am sorry to announce that I will not play in Doha and the Australian Open, as we had initially scheduled."
