Nadal out of London, French indoor

Spain’s tennis player Rafael Nadal is pictured before the French L1 football match between Paris Saint Germain and Reims on October 20. Nadal, out of action since June, will miss the ATP Tour Finals in London and also next week’s Paris indoor event at Bercy owing to his injured left knee, the ATP Tour has announced.

PARIS - Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, out of action since June, will miss the ATP Tour Finals in London and also next week’s Paris indoor event at Bercy owing to his injured left knee, the ATP Tour announced Thursday.

Nadal had hoped to make London and potentially the Davis Cup final, but the world number four had been fighting a losing fitness battle.

The former world number one has not played a competitive match since his shock loss to unseeded Czech Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon on June 28.

The 26-year-old Mallorcan has been suffering with Hoffa syndrome, an inflammation of the fatty tissue situated behind the kneecap in his left knee.

He declared in late September that he would not return to the circuit until he was 100 percent fit.

Nadal missed the London Olympics and the US Open, but had hoped he might make London from November 5-12 and the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic in Prague thereafter.

Both events will take place on hard courts, which are more likely to aggravate existing injuries than Nadal’s preferred surface, clay.

Brad Drewett, ATP president, said: “We wish Rafa all the best as he continues his rehabilitation from injury. Rafa is an incredible champion and it goes without saying that he has been missed on the ATP World Tour over the past few months. We look forward to welcoming him back on the tour very soon”.