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Tennis

Rafael Nadal injured again, Federer on a roll

Top seed Rafael Nadal has pulled out of this week's Mexican Open in Acapulco after aggravating the leg injury that forced him out of the Australian Open last month. His rival Roger Federer has been crowned Sportsman of the Year.

Tennis - Australian Open - Quarterfinals - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2018. Spain's Rafael Nadal during a press conference after retiring from his match due to injury against Croatia's Marin Cilic.
Tennis - Australian Open - Quarterfinals - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2018. Spain's Rafael Nadal during a press conference after retiring from his match due to injury against Croatia's Marin Cilic. REUTERS/Edgar Su
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"My goal and hope was to play in this tournament. Unfortunately, in my last training session, I felt a sharp pain in my leg again," the 31-year-old Spanish star said hours before what was to have been his opening match of the ATP Tour event in Acapulco.

The world number two was due to face fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez on Wednesday but pulled out on the advice of his medical team.

"I still don't know what it is, because we don't know. It seems it's not as bad as what I had at the Australian Open," he said.

Nadal limped out of the quarter-finals at the Australian Open on 23 January. He has since lost his number one ranking to Roger Federer.

This marks the sixth tournament in a row that Nadal has pulled out of or retired from -- the Australian Open, Brisbane, London, Paris, Basel and Acapulco.

Meanwhile World Number One Roger Federer was a big winner at the Laureus awards in Monte Carlo on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old was crowned the 2017 Sportsman of the Year after clinching his fifth Australian Open title and his eight Wimbledon title last July.

"We believed I could win one more slam and that's what makes me incredibly proud to receive these two awards," said the Swiss star who also scooped up the Comeback of the Year award.

"I know very well that there are many other athletes that deserve these as much as me, or maybe even more," he said.

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