01 March,2018 08:22 AM IST | Acapulco (Mexico) | AFP
Rafael Nadal
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Mexican Open, cutting short his comeback from an injury when his ailing right hip flared up again. "My goal and hope was to play in this tournament. Unfortunately, in my last training session yesterday, I felt a sharp pain in my leg again," the Spanish star said. Nadal, favoured to win the tournament and champion here in 2005 and 2013, had been due to face fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. "I took all the appropriate steps to arrive at the tournament in form. I went to Cozumel first, to adapt (to the climate)," he told reporters. "But, in my last training session before the tournament, during one movement I felt a sharp pain again in the same area where I had the problem in Australia."
Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here
Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go