Skip navigation
Listen now:
NBC Sports: Amani & Eytan

Tennis

ATP scores | WTA scores |  Video |  ATP schedule  |  WTA schedule   | ATP rankings  |  WTA rankings  |  Tickets

Nadal pulls out of Brazil doubles

Nadal of Spain hits a return next to Nalbandian of Argentina during their men's doubles match at the Brazil Open tennis tournament in Sao Paulo /
By Andrew Downie
updated 7:42 p.m. ET Feb. 13, 2013

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Former world number one Rafa Nadal withdrew suddenly from the doubles at the Brazil Open on Wednesday because of what organizers said was a desire to preserve his strength for the singles competition.

The 26-year-old Spaniard, who returned to action at the Chile Open last week after a left knee condition had sidelined him for seven months, was down to play both singles and doubles in Sao Paulo.

However, he was already complaining of lingering pains before making his doubles debut alongside Argentine David Nalbandian in a 6-3 3-6 11-9 victory over Spaniards Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia Lopez on Tuesday night.

Just moments before he and Nalbandian were due to play Horacio Zeballos and Oliver Marach on Wednesday, the pair withdrew.

Nadal is still expected to play in the singles tournament and is scheduled to make his first appearance on Thursday night against Brazilian Joao Souza, the world number 140.

If all goes well, the seven-times French Open champion will head to another clay court tournament in Mexico as part of his preparations for the defense of his Roland Garros title in May.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

advertisement
More news
The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2013 - Day Two
Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Venus pulls out of Wimbledon

After 16 consecutive years of always showing up at Wimbledon, winning five titles along the way, Venus Williams pulled out of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament Tuesday, citing a lower back injury.

Slideshow
Image: TENNIS-AUS-OPEN
  Scenes from Down Under
Check out the best images from the 2013 Australian Open.

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: The Championships - Wimbledon 2012: Day Thirteen
  The best of Wimbledon
The best images from the Grand Slam tournament at the All-England Club.

NBC Sports

Video
  French Open 2012: Top 10 Shots
June 10, 2012: John McEnroe, Ted Robinson, and Mary Carillo look back at the Top Ten best moments from the 2012 French Open.
‘