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Sidelined with injuries, Rafael Nadal relinquishes the top spot to Novak Djokovic
SWITCHING SPOTS. Serbia's Novak Djokovic (right) reclaims the top spot he held two years ago as Spain's Rafael Nadal drops out of the Paris Masters. Photo by Nic Bothma / AFP
PARIS, FRANCE – Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Paris Masters on Wednesday, October 31, guaranteeing Novak Djokovic's return to the world No. 1 spot.
Nadal said: "My abdominal muscles have not felt good for the past few days, especially on serve, doctors recommended that I did not play."
Djokovic arrived in Paris knowing that he would be back to the top spot he had been there for a long time.
The Wimbledon and US Open champion becomes the first player in the ATP rankings since Marat Safin in 2000.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion had begun his pursuit of the top spot in encouraging fashion with a 7-5, 6-1 defeat of Joao Sousa on Tuesday, his 19th consecutive win.
For Nadal it means delaying his long awaited comeback from which he has kept him open since the US Open.
Nadal was forced to withdraw from his US Open semifinal against Juan Martin del Potro in early September with a knee injury.
The problem also occurred in Spain's Davis Cup semifinal against France, and also from tournaments in Beijing and Shanghai.
"It's been a difficult year for me, and so I'd prefer to avoid doing anything drastic," he told the media minutes before his companion match compatriot Fernando Verdasco who instead faced – and lost to – Tunisian lucky loser Malek Jaziri.
"It would not have been good for me nor anyone to return to the court knowing that I would not be able to play my best.
During his stay in the country, he died when he died.
After Paris the ATP tour's 8 top-ranked players congregate in London November 11 for the season's Finals.
The 32-year-old Nadal has enjoyed a successful year, clinching his 17th Great Slam title by winning an 11th French Open in June, after triumphs in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome.
Federer opponent pulls out
But it is Djokovic who will be top dog when the latest ATP rankings appear on Monday, irrespective of his fate in the French capital this week.
Despite the blow the tournament organizers will be linked to see Roger Federer making his first appearance at the competition since 2015.
The Swiss great starts with his 100th ATP title in the last 16 on Thursday after his Wednesday rival Milos Raonic withdrew through an elbow injury.
World No. 3 Federer will face Italy's Fabio Fognini, ranked 14th, who made the next round when Hungary's Marton Fucsovics withdrew injured.
Elsewhere, German 4th seed Alexander Zverev, playing his 70th match of the season, defeated Frances Tiafoe of the United States 6-4, 6-4 while defending champion Jack Sock put out Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-3.
South African 7th seed Kevin Anderson, the champion in Vienna at the weekend, battled past Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3).
Anderson next faces Japan's 10th seed Kei Nishikori, who is defeated in the final Austria. Nishikori made the last-16 with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Adrian Mannarino of France.
Bulgarian 9th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who is working with US legend Andre Agassi in Paris, went through with a 7-6 (12/10), 6-4 victory over Roberto Bautista Agut.
World No. 8 Dominic Thiem boosted his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals, beating Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-2 and next faces Borna Coric for a quarterfinal slot. – Rappler.com
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