Intro:

Reigning champion Rafael Nadal pulls out of the US Open after failing to recover from a wrist injury.

Script:

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the US Open with a wrist injury.

The world number two suffered the knock in training last month and missed two warm-up tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati.

The 28-year-old had hoped to recover before the 25th of August, when the US Open gets under way.

Nadal announced his decision not to compete at Flushing Meadows on his official Facebook page on Monday afternoon.

The Spaniard has not played since his shock fourth round Wimbledon defeat to Nick Kyrgios in July. Nadal will now be unable to defend the title he won against Novak Djokovic last year.

The 14-time grand slam winner missed nine months of the tour with a knee problem but this wrist injury represents a fresh blow.

Nadal was advised by doctors to wear a cast for two to three weeks but the problem forced him to miss the Rogers Cup and last week's Western & Southern Open.