Cape Town - Former world No 1 Rafael Nadal has confirmed that he won’t play again this season due to injury.
Nadal suffered a shock second round defeat to Victor Troicki at the Shanghai Masters last week after being hampered by a wrist injury sustained at the French Open, which he further aggravated at the summer's Olympics.
The 30-year-old - plagued by injury troubles over recent seasons - has now announced his withdrawal from next week’s tournament in Basel, along with the Paris Masters, with his focus on returning to full fitness for the start of 2017.
"It is no secret that I arrived to the Olympic Games short of preparation and not fully recovered, but the goal was to compete and win a medal for Spain,” Nadal wrote on Facebook.
“This forced recovery has caused me pain since then and now I am forced to stop and start preparing the 2017 season.
"I am very saddened for not being able to play next week in Basel since I have a great memory of the tournament and the final played against Roger Federer last year.
"I won't be able to compete either in Paris-Bercy, where the crowds and the staff have always treated me so well.
“Now it is time to rest and start preparing intensively the 2017 season."