Knee injury sidelines Rafael Nadal for two months

Moscow  : A knee injury will keep Rafael Nadal out of tennis for the next two months, including Spain’s Davis Cup semifinal against the United States, the World No.3 announced Monday.

Nadal, 26, is suffering from a partial tear of the patella ligament in his left knee.

The seven-time French Open champion has not played since a second-round upset by Czech Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon and missed the Olympic Games and the US Open too.

“I really want to be back competing and enjoying the tennis tour, but I have many years in front of me and my knee needs some rest,” Nadal said on Twitter.

“I feel better after the meeting with my doctors and happy knowing that the evolution of the past weeks has been positive and surgery has been avoided. I will be back when I have no pain and able to compete with a guarantee.”

Nadal was part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won the finals in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011.

The Davis Cup semifinals start on Sep 14 where Spain face the United States and Czech Republic meets Argentina.