Rafael Nadal shakes hands with a trainer after retiring from a match against Juan Martin del Potro during the semi-finals of the U.S. Open on Sept. 7, 2018.Frank Franklin II/The Associated Press
Rafael Nadal says he will not play in upcoming tournaments in Beijing and Shanghai because of an injured right knee.
Nadal says he and his team decided to skip the Asia swing to recover.
The top-ranked Spaniard retired in the semifinals of the U.S. Open this month because of the knee problem. He had dropped the opening two sets against Juan Martin del Potro when he retired.
The 32-year-old Nadal, who has often dealt with knee pain, won the Beijing tournament last year. He lost the final in Shanghai to Roger Federer.
Nadal, who has won 17 Grand Slam titles, announced his decision not to play in Asia through posts on his Twitter account on Wednesday.