Nadal faces another two months out

RAFAEL Nadal has been ruled out for another two months as he struggles to overcome a knee injury.

The world No 3 has not played since a shock second-round loss to Czech Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon, missing the Olympics and the US Open as a result. He will now sit out Spain’s Davis Cup semi-final clash with the United States later this month as he continues his rehabilitation.

In a statement released through his official twitter account, Nadal said: “I really want to be back competing and enjoying the tennis tour, but I have many years in front of me and my knee needs some rest.”

Nadal, 26, has a partial tear of the patella tendon in his left knee and insists he will not return until he is 100 per cent fit. “I will be back when I have no pain and able to compete with guarantees,” he said.

“I feel better after the meeting with my doctors and happy knowing that the evolution of the past weeks has been positive and surgery has been avoided.

“I will continue to work with the plan my doctors have established to be able to compete as soon as possible in the right conditions.”