STARNBERG, December 22, 2007

According to Spanish sports magazine Marca, Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi due to knee problems. The 10th edition of the exhibition tournament will be held at the Zayed Sports City from 28 to 30 December 2017.

Nadal would be replaced by fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut, who would get a bye in the quarterfinals and play the winner of the encounter between Kevin Anderson and Pablo Carreno Busta in the semis. Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic already withdrew from Abu Dhabi on Thursday, and will be replaced by #NextGen ATP Russian Andrey Rublev and Kevin Anderson of South Africa. The field is led by former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Earlier in the week, Nadal cancelled a practice session with Portoguese Joao Sousa from 18 to 22 December at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca due to his injury that already forced him to pull out of the Swiss Indoors in Basel, then retire in Paris as well as the Nitto ATP Finals in London.