Rafa world No 1 after Roger pullout

Roger Federer has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open with a back injury, meaning Rafael Nadal will return next week as the world number one for the first time since 2014. Federer, who has won the Ohio warm-up tournament for the US Open on seven occasions, said he had picked up the injury in Montreal, where he lost to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final.

“I am very sorry to pull out of the Western and Southern Open as I always enjoy playing here,” Federer said in a statement issued by the tournament. “Cincinnati has some of the best fans in the world and I am sorry I will miss them. Unfortunately, I tweaked my back in Montreal and I need to rest this week.”

Federer’s withdrawal assures that Nadal will be top of the rankings when they are issued on August 21.

Nadal will take the number one position from Briton Andy Murray, who previously announced he would not play in Cincinnati due to a hip injury.

Nadal, who has won one Grand Slam and two Masters 1000 titles in 2017, was upset by 18-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov at the Rogers Cup last week.

Nadal described his return to world number one as “something special” after his resurgence following injury problems.

It is a particularly sweet moment for Nadal, who has had well-documented fitness issues and missed the end of last season due to a wrist complaint.Nadal, who won a 10th French Open in June, expressed sympathy for the stricken Federer, but is delighted to be back on top.

Speaking at a news conference, the 31-year-old said: “Obviously it’s bad news for the event that Roger is not playing. [But] for me personally obviously to be back to that position is something special. “A lot of things have happened since the last time I was in this spot. Injuries and some tough moments, of course, but I have held the passion and the love for the game, and that’s why I have the chance to be back in that position again.

“So I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and just trying to be ready to compete well here. That’s the most important thing for me now.” Nadal faces Richard Gasquet on Wednesday.

Madison Keys beat fellow American CoCo Vandeweghe for the second time in eight days with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory on Monday to reach the second round of the Cincinnati Open. Keys beat Vandeweghe in the Stanford Classic final and while pushed a little harder on Monday, the 16th seed still had enough to get by her big-serving compatriot in just under two hours.