2018 ATP Finals: Rafael Nadal ruled out of London event

Spaniard is replaced by American John Isner for the season finale at The O2

Rafael Nadal French Open tennis Dominic Thiem
Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy after his victory over Dominic Thiem in the 2018 French Open final
(Image credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

2018 ATP Finals

  • What: eight-player men’s tennis season-ending event
  • When: 11-18 November
  • Where: The O2, London
  • Tickets: axs.com
  • TV channel: live on Sky Sports
  • The players: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, Kevin Anderson, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem, Kei Nishikori, John Isner

Rafael Nadal’s season is over after he withdrew from the 2018 ATP Finals which start at The O2 in London on Sunday 11 November.

The Spaniard has been struggling with an abdominal injury and was forced to pull out of the Paris Masters last week. With London now not on his schedule the 17-time grand slam winner has also undergone surgery on his right ankle.

In a statement the 32-year-old said: “It has been a complicated year. I played at a very high level when I was able to compete, but at the same time it was very bad as far as injuries are concerned.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

“I have done everything possible to reach the end of the season in good condition, both in Paris and London, and I really wanted to play.

“But unfortunately, I had an abdominal problem in Paris last week and, in addition, I have a [problem] with my right ankle joint that [required] an operation [today].

“It is true that we have known about it for a while, and from time to time it bothered me. However, since the problem with my abdominal muscle also prevents me from playing in London, we are taking advantage of the moment to remove the free body and avoid future problems.

“With this, I hope to be in full health for the next season. Thank you all for your support.”

Nadal’s place in the eight-man tournament in London goes to John Isner. The American joins Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, Kevin Anderson, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem and Kei Nishikori on the bill at The O2.

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.