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Nadal sidelined for another two months

Rafael Nadal will not return before November © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal has revealed he will be out for at least another two months, as he bids to recover from the knee injury that forced him to miss the US Open.

Nadal has been sidelined in recent weeks due to a number of problems with his left knee, which caused him to skip both the Olympic tennis tournament in London and the final grand slam of the year at Flushing Meadows.

The prolonged recovery period will now also rule him out of a number of big events over the next few months, including Spain's Davis Cup semi-final against the United States.

"I have missed the Olympics and the US Open in the last few weeks, two of the most important tournaments of the year that I really wanted to play," Nadal said in a statement announcing the extended layoff. "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."

Having suffered from knee problems in the past, Nadal has vowed not to return until he is sure he is 100% fit.

"I will be back when I have no pain and am able to compete with guarantee," he added. "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 continue to work with the plan my doctors have established to be able to compete as soon as possible in the right conditions."

In the statement, the full extent of Nadal's injury problem was confirmed. He has a "partial tear of the patella tendon at the distal pole of the patella" of his left knee, as well as an inflammation of the Hoffa's fat pad.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.