4 Nov 2008

Rafael Nadal out of Masters Cup

7:28 am on 4 November 2008

World men's tennis number one Rafael Nadal has pulled out of next week's season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai because of injury.

The Spaniard was forced to retire from his Paris Masters quarter-final against Russian Nikolay Davydenko last week because of a knee problem and says the packed tennis calendar had taken its toll on his body.

Nadal, who the ATP says will be replaced in Shanghai by Frenchman Gilles Simon, says he's hoping to be fit for Spain's Davis Cup final against Argentina later this month.