Nadal out of Paris Masters with arm tendinitis

PARIS - World number one Rafael Nadal withdrew Friday from next week’s Paris Masters due to tendinitis in his arm, with the Spaniard’s top seeding at the Bercy arena taken by Roger Federer.

The evening release of the draw confirmed the pullout by Nadal, who has not played since losing to Austrian Jurgen Melzer just over three weeks ago in the Shanghai second round.

“I am very unhappy for not playing this year at the Paris-Bercy event,” Nadal said in a statement.

“Due to a small tendinitis on my left arm, caused by forcing a bit too much on my practice this week back at home, I have to stay six or seven days resting. The doctor told me I have to be those days doing intensive treatment and functional rehabilitation with physiotherapy.”

Nadal apologised to tournament organisers and said he would be in attendance Monday to meet with the media and fans in Paris, which he called “one of my favorite cities in the world.”

The Spaniard leads the field of entries for the season-ending World Tour Finals, which begin November 21 in London.

Three spots in the eight-man field remain unfilled with this weekend’s play in Basel and Valencia, plus next week in Paris, set to determine the final lineup.