Nadal out of Brazil Open doubles over knee fear

SAO PAULO (AFP) - Rafael Nadal will not play his scheduled doubles match at the Brazil Open on Wednesday because of "knee overuse", organisers said.

But they added that the Spanish star intends to play his opening singles match Thursday against Brazilian Joao Souza.

World number five Nadal had been scheduled to team up with Argentina's David Nalbandian in a second-round encounter against Argentine Horacio Zeballos and Austrian Oliver Marach on Wednesday.

Former world number one Nadal only returned to the tour in Chile last week, where he lost in the final, after a seven-month injury absence. "The conditions are very difficult. The court is not in the best condition and the ball is very difficult to control," Nalbandian told a press conference.