Nadal puts end to 2016 season because of left wrist injury

MADRID >> Rafael Nadal is cutting short his 2016 season so he can fully recover from a left wrist injury.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion said Thursday he is still bothered by the injury that kept him out of action for more than two months this season and wants to treat it properly before coming back in 2017.

“Now it is time to rest and start preparing intensively (for) the 2017 season,” the 30-year-old Spaniard said in a statement.

Nadal said he will miss indoor tournaments in Basel, Switzerland, next week and Paris next month. He is also ruled out of the season-ending ATP Finals in London next month.

Nadal said he forced his recovery to be able to play in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and that caused him to be in pain in every tournament since then.

Nadal has slipped to No. 6 in the rankings. He won back-to-back claycourt titles in Barcelona and Monte Carlo last spring but has not won any tournaments since then.