World No 2 Rafael Nadal became the latest of a series of high-profile players to pull out of the Paris Masters Series tournament starting tomorrow.
The Spaniard told organisers today he had a rib injury.
He joins world No 4 Ivan Ljubicic, US Open runner-up Andy Roddick and Argentine David
Nalbandian, who all withdrew over the past few days, citing injuries or illness.
Nadal described his injury as not serious and he should be back in action for the season-ending Masters Cup, which will feature the top eight players in the ATP race on November 12-19 in Shanghai.
Nadal, 20, who has triumphed at the last two French Opens, has never entered the main draw at the Paris Masters, losing in qualifying in his only previous appearance as a 17-year-old in 2003.
The favourite in Paris will be Roger Federer, who underlined his brilliant form by winning the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel today.
The world No 1 last visited the high-tech Bercy hall in 2003. His best results there are two quarterfinal appearances that year and in the previous edition.
- REUTERS
