Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the ATP World Tour Finals next month, after losing in the quarter-finals at the Swiss Indoors tournament to the Croatian teenager Borna Coric.
Spanish Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Spanish 14-times grand slam champion says he's not competitive enough right now - Nadal is opting to have surgery to remove his appendix instead of competing at either next week's Paris Masters or the eight-man London season-ender, which begins on November the 10th.
Meanwhile Roger Federer held off the challenge of Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov to win 7-6 6-2 and advance to the semis at his home tournament, where he'll face the big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic.
Roger Federer on one of his favourite courts in Basel Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Coric plays the Belgian David Goffin for a place in the final.
Karlovic beat Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4 6-4 in their quarter, while Goffin needed three sets to see off fourth seeded Canadian Milos Raonic, winning 6-7 6-3 6-4.
Federer has won the Swiss Indoors five times, and hasn't failed to reach the Basel final since 2003.
