SYDNEY, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- World No. 2 Rafael Nadal Thursday withdrew from the Sydney (Australia) International tennis tournament next week because of a lingering left foot injury.
"I am very, very sorry that I cannot play in Sydney because I was looking forward to coming there for the first time," Nadal said.
He also skipped this week's tournament at Chennai, India, and his status for the Australian Open, starting on Jan. 16, is questionable.
The Sydney event will feature some top-notch competitors, including four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt, Nikolay Davydenko and James Blake.
The 19-year-old Nadal and world No. 1 Roger Federer were ATP co-leaders with 11 titles in 2005. Nadal beat Federer in the semifinals of the French Open in Paris on the way to his first Grand Slam championship.
