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Rafael Nadal: injury remains an issue at start of 2018

By Harry Floyd

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 13: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand in his Singles match against David Goffin of Belgium during day two of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 13: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand in his Singles match against David Goffin of Belgium during day two of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Rafael Nadal is pulling out of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship due to injury. The world No. 1 continues to deal with knee problems.

Rafael Nadal is withdrawing from play in Abu Dhabi due to his knee injury.

The world No. 1 in men’s singles tennis was expected to headline a star studded field at the end of December event. Now, questions must be raised regarding his health as he moves into the Australian swing next month.

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Nadal withdrew from the ATP Finals in London after dropping his opening match to David Goffin. The Spanish superstar has been dealing with an ongoing knee injury as of late. It appears though, that the issue is not yet fully resolved.

All eyes are on the world No. 1 as he begins his 2018 ATP World Tour.

Several top players in men’s singles have been dealing with injuries this offseason. Also returning from injury is Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic. He is expected to play at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship this coming week.

Nadal and Djokovic are both former Australian Open champions. The world No. 1 is the 2009 winner whereas Djokovic has claimed a total of six titles at Melbourne Park. Play at the Australian Open is right around the corner. With most players participating in either an exhibition or action at the Brisbane International before the Grand Slam, fans and players alike will be eager to see just how healthy Nadal is come January.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

The 2017 ATP World Tour was another career year for Rafael Nadal. Taking home two Grand Slam wins, including his tenth career title at the French Open, he would again reach the No. 1 ranking. Just behind him is Swiss great Roger Federer who defeated Nadal in the Australian Open finals last year. Federer will be the favorite at Melbourne Park, especially if Nadal is not fit enough for a deep run at the major tournament. Also withdrawing from play in Abu Dhabi is Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss tennis star, like Nadal, has been dealing with injuries in the offseason and is not quite ready to compete at a high level. Stay tuned to see how Nadal and others fare in the opening weeks of the 2018 ATP World Tour.

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