ATP Tour - Federer, Nadal pull out injured

Eurosport - Sat, 01 Nov 16:42:00 2008

World number two Roger Federer is confident he would take part in the season-ending Masters Cup despite pulling out of the Paris Masters Series event with a back injury.

TENNIS Roger Federer - 0

World number one Rafael Nadal followed his rival in pulling out with an injury after retiring at the end of the first set in his own quarter-final against Nikolay Davydenko, with the Russian leading 6-1.

"I had some pain in the knee yesterday. I felt the pain a lot when I woke up this morning," Nadal said. "When I push [on my knee] I feel a sharp pain."

Asked if he was worried about his fitness for the season-ending Masters Cup, he added: "For sure. Hopefully it will be fine ... [but] I don't know."

Nadal, who said he had never had this kind of injury before, is due to fly to China on Tuesday but may now have to change his plans.

"With this pain maybe [I will go] a little later. I don't know, it depends," said Nadal, who could not bend his knee properly.

Federer, who was due to face James Blake in the quarter-finals, said he had been struggling with back pain for the last couple of years but that this was the first time he had been forced to withdraw from a tournament with it.

"I got to do all sorts of different checks and stuff. But usually the back is something that takes a few days and it's better again," he said.

"I've had a lot of back pain over all the years of playing tennis, so it's not like the first time. It's just the first time it's acute during a tournament and it makes me pull out. I'll check it out for the next few days."

Despite the setback, Federer said he expected to defend his title in Shanghai. The tournament begins on November 9.

"The flight is scheduled for Monday. I hope I can recover otherwise I'll postpone that. I'm confident and I'm positive that hopefully it's going to get better in the next few days."

Federer said he first felt the pain in his back during his second-round match against Swede Robin Soderling.

"On a serve I just felt something sort of really stiffening up in my back, (but) played through it. I took painkillers there," he said.

"Then against (Marin) Cilic yesterday I had to run for a forehand in the second set. The last few games of the match I really had to sort of just like change my positioning for returning and change my serve.

"So I felt that something was bad but I expected to get better overnight, which I always have done.

"I can't take a chance over a back, so I just want to play it safe and then hopefully be fine for Shanghai again."

Federer's withdrawal in Paris means the Swiss has failed to win a regular Masters Series event this year for the first time since 2003.

He has had an under-par season, losing his Wimbledon crown and world number one spot to Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who also beat him in the French Open final.

Reuters

Comment 17 - 36 of 36

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  1. Nadal always has an excuse when he knew that he is­ going to loose. Same old story - calling the trainer­ and call it quits......... Federer is more credible­ when he says quit because he is quiting without­ starting the game........

    From Napoleon A, on Sat 1 Nov 3:39PM

  2. GET WELL SOON ROGER AND RAFA HOPE YOU WILL BOTH BE FIT­ FOR MASTERS CUP. IT WAS SAD TO SEE ANDY MURRAY AND ANDY­ RODDICK LOSE AS WELL. HOPE ITS A DAVID VS JAMES­ FINAL.
    ALISON MERRITT

    From AJ, on Sat 1 Nov 3:28PM

  3. so when Rafa or Fed do that they are ok but for­ djokovic its a fake. how come?

    From boki, on Sat 1 Nov 1:10PM

  4. ok,Rafa and Federer are out,wonder­ why...injuries,really ? or is it politics.for­ example,Federer is now sure not to lose his number 2­ spot,since he went one further than Djoko,right ? And­ how about Rafa? Now that he knows Simon will not take­ part in shangai... Blake and Davidenko had to progress­ in paris so that Simon wouldn't take part... Could­ it be calculations like these ? let's hope so,who­ would want our heroes hurt,but then again,i'd­ rather see titans playing than calculators.

    From coolworld, on Sat 1 Nov 11:28AM

  5. Nadal lost the first set 6-1. He knew he was going to­ lose the match so he quit . End of story !!

    From Tim, on Sat 1 Nov 10:58AM

  6. I think it was smart of Roger to pull out of that­ tournament. Back injries can be really serious. He­ would not do this without a reason and I would trust­ his judgement. As for Rafa he has cheated so much­ against others he ought to be ashamed. His Uncle Toni­ uses him like a puppet. He is a nice enough kid but now­ he is spoiled. Go Roger!!!!!

    From mitzi.heim, on Sat 1 Nov 10:48AM

  7. three cheers for Nalbandian...best wishes for Federer­ to get his back better.

    From phyllis.6, on Sat 1 Nov 9:19AM

  8. SHAME ON THE FANS FOR BOOING RAFA TODAY.

    From football4life, on Sat 1 Nov 5:22AM

  9. Murray lost and Fed has withdrawn. So it's just­ right Rafa pulled out. What's the thrill playing­ without the season's hottest players!

    From Jimmy G, on Sat 1 Nov 2:29AM

  10. At least there's Tsonga left - how he managed to­ keep himself together in that tiebreak I have no idea. ­ You could see he was battling with his­ nerves.
    Hopefully we'll have another classic vs­ Blake.
    The other semi - as far as I'm concerned -­ is just not interesting. Hopefully the winner will­ come from the bottom 1/2

    From dianabc44, on Sat 1 Nov 12:16AM

  11. Hopefully they've just pulled out as a precaution.­ It's been a long season. Nice one Plumpot. We­ should wish both the best of luck as regards injuries.­ The tournament has lost a lot without them but there­ are still some great players left. Just watched­ Tsonga's brilliant win over Andy Roddick. One of­ the most dramatic matches of the season. Davydenko­ (I'm sticking my neck out for once and predicting­ that he's gonna take this title...kiss of­ death???!!!)and Nalbandian look to be in great form, so­ that should be a match and a half. And I think James­ Blake qualifies for Shanghai if he makes the final (so­ complicated that conundrum!) and both Nalbandian and­ Tsonga still have a chance too. Plenty to play for, as­ they say in sporting circles. Cheers

    From rhymes450, on Fri 31 Oct 10:38PM

  12. i actually believe Federer's remarkably injury-free­ run was the KEY to his dominance of men's­ contemporary tennis.
    i honestly hope both of them­ recover for the Shanghai masters. It wouldn't be­ the champions' race without Nr 1 and Nr 2­ there.
    take care

    From Helen H, on Fri 31 Oct 9:22PM

  13. Fed has stayed remarkably injury free ... the last­ injury was in 2005 when the silly boy didn't tape­ his ankles during practice, rolled the right one over­ and tore 3 ligaments resulting in him being in a­ plaster cast for 2 weeks and unable to do any training­ right before Shanghai 2005. He's done the right­ thing for his back ... can't be too careful with­ backs! Wish Rafa well too ... though I'm not a­ fan.

    From plumpot77, on Fri 31 Oct 8:39PM

  14. Very intriguing withdrawals. Everything will be ok­ until Shanghai I suppose...

    From budimirbojan, on Fri 31 Oct 6:25PM

  15. I think I m the most unlucky person in the world.I­ placed my bet that both Nadal and Federer would win­ today, both came out injured, I am sorry may be am a­ jinks, I will not bet on them again.
    YousriDaoud

    From Y David, on Fri 31 Oct 6:20PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    federer is just the man... love or hate him, you just­ can't stop him. get well soon man.
    (nadal­ hold his no1 spot for him ok, he'd come for it next­ year. i hope getting your number2 spot wont be a­ problem)

    From HotFlirt2k4, on Fri 31 Oct 6:13PM

  17. tsonga or Davidenko takes this !

    From Igor K, on Fri 31 Oct 6:09PM

  18. well, what a loser he is! afraid of losing? at least be­ a man and fight!

    From toriq, on Fri 31 Oct 6:02PM

  19. Look at that,just yesterday I was so optimistic about­ us being crowned in paris n today we are out with­ injury.PLEASE MY RAFA BE FULLY READY FOR SHANGHAI COS­ EVERYBODY 'LL BE LOOKING OUT FOR US. REMEMBER YOU­ ARE THE MATADOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From omobolajamiu, on Fri 31 Oct 5:15PM

  20. Hoping Roddick wins tonight. Otherwise, there­ isn't any reason to continue watching.

    GET WELL­ SOON RAFA!

    From BeverlyH, on Fri 31 Oct 5:15PM
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