Nadal pulls out of season opener in Abu Dhabi

MADRID:World number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from his planned season opener at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi due to lingering fitness concerns just three weeks ahead of the Australian Open.

“It was a tough 2017 and I need to take my calendar in a different way in order to be ready, for this reason, I have sadly announced to the organisers and now to you fans that I won’t play this time in Abu Dhabi.”Nadal told the Mubadala World Tennis Championships website.

NISHIKORI RULED OUT

TOKYO: Japan’s Kei Nishikori has withdrawn from the seasonopening Brisbane International tournament as he continues to recover from a wrist injury, the event’s organisers have said.

The 27-year-old was ranked ninth in the world before sustaining the season-ending injury ahead of the Cincinnati Masters in August.

KHAN MAINTAINS LEAD

KOLKATA: Rashid Khan managed to hold on to his overnight lead by two shots, even as in-form Shubhankar Sharma rose to second place in the penultimate round of the the ~1.5 crore McLeod Russel Tour Championship 2017 on Saturday.

YUKI GETS WILDCARD

PUNE: Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Arjun Kadhe have been handed a direct entry to the main draw of the ATP 250 World Tour tournament to be held from December 30 to January 6. Bhambri, India’s topranked singles pro on ATP at 116, will lead the Indian challenge.

GILL WINS RALLY

ZIRO: Team Mahindra Adventure’s Gaurav Gill took another measured step towards his fifth MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship, adding the Rally of Arunachal to his conquests on Saturday.