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Knee injury forces Nadal to pull out of Thailand Open

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Thailand Open with a knee injury, handing the tournament a major blow ahead of the first-round starting tomorrow.

Nadal, who crashed out of the US Open earlier this month suffering the same injury, said yesterday he was receiving treatment at his home in Mallorca.

"I'm really sorry to announce I have to withdraw from the Thailand Open at this late date," Nadal said in a statement.

"I had a knee injury during the US Open and hoped that it would clear up for the Thailand Open ... I have sought medical advice and have been advised to rest my knees for at least another few weeks," he said.

World No. 3 and US finalist Novak Djokovic will take over as top seed, with American Andy Roddick second at the Impact Arena.

Both will arrive in Thailand fresh from Davis Cup duty in Europe, after Djokovic and his Serbian team battled Australia and the US, spearheaded by Roddick, took on Sweden in Gothenburg.

American James Blake chose not to defend his Thailand Open title.

Thai hopes this week rest with wild card Danai Udomchoke with compatriot and Thai No.1 Paradorn Srichaphan, ranked 155 in the world, still sidelined by wrist problems which have kept him off court since March.

Djokovic will play his first ATP event since losing the US Open final to Roger Federer.

The 20-year-old Serb returns to the Thai capital after first playing there in 2004, where he crashed out as a wild card in the opening round.

First up he takes on Russian Igor Kunytsin, with the winner of that match facing Asian No. 1 Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea, or Amer Delic of the US.

Roddick reached the Bangkok final in 2004, where he lost to Federer as the Swiss master won the first of back-to-back Bangkok trophies, 6-4, 6-0.

Roddick has a first-round match with Taiwan's Jimmy Wang.

Czech third seed Tomas Berdych, another Davis Cup participant, starts against Thai wild card Kittipong Wachiramanowong.

German Davis Cup ace Tommy Haas takes the fourth seeding and will play veteran American Vince Spadea.

Carlos Moya of Spain, Russian Dmitry Tursunov, Croatia's Ivo Karlovic and Spain's Fernando Verdasco round out the seedings.

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