Former world's no.1 Rafael Nadal is likely to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters to give him more time to recover from his injury, Tennis Earth reported on Sunday.
Nadal, who hasn't played a single match since his shocking first round exit at the Wimbledon Open, might skip the Cincinnati Masters again due to recurring concerns on his left knee.
The 27-year old Nadal won his 2013 hard court tournament debut at Indian Wells last March, but the Spaniard isn't sure if he's going to play in Cincinnati given that "many players don't like it because it's geographically in the middle of nowhere."
Nadal has racked up a 43-3 record this season, winning seven titles - including a record-setting 8th French Open crown - since returning from a seven-month knee rehab.
Though Nadal did not underwent any surgery, the condition of his left knee remained a big concern for his fans, who are eagerly looking forward to watching the Spaniard play on the hard court once again.
Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova announced her decision to skip the Rogers Cup in Toronto next week due to a hip injury.
Sharapova bowed out to Michelle Larcher de Brito in the second round of the 2013 Wimbledon Open. Aside from the devastating loss, Sharapova also sustained a hip injury after tumbling several times on the slippery surface of All-England Club.
"I'm extremely disappointed that I am unable to play in Toronto next week as it's one of the best and most important tournaments of the year. I was looking forward to making a healthy return to the courts in front of my Canadian fans but unfortunately I'm just not recovered yet," said Sharapova in his statement via CBS Sports.
The Rogers Cup will take place at Rexall Center on York University in Toronto from August 3 to 11. The Cincinnati Masters will be played at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio from August 12 to 19.