Rafael Nadal Injury: Updates on Tennis Star's Appendectomy and Return

Updates from Monday, Nov. 3

Ben Rothenberg of The New York Times confirms Rafael Nadal underwent successful surgery on his appendix today:

Updates from Friday, Oct. 24

Following a loss to Borna Coric on Friday, Rafael Nadal announced that he will not play for the remainder of 2014, via Sky Sports Tennis:

SI Tennis passed along that Nadal will have his appendix removed in November:

Let's Talk Tennis also shared comments from Nadal on the decision:

Original Text

Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the 2014 Paris Masters due to "personal reasons," it was confirmed on Friday.

The 28-year-old is set to miss the last tournament of the regular season and is yet to confirm his participation in next week's ATP World Tours Finals, per Stuart Fraser of the Mail Online:

Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times confirms Nadal will complete his duties at the current Swiss Open, where he is set to face Borna Coric in the quarter-finals on Friday:

The Spaniard will head into the London finale as one of the favourites, should he compete. He is yet to win the showcase event, coming closest in 2010 and 2013, when he lost the final matches to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic respectively.

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Both Fraser and writer Jose Morgado highlight how Nadal's absence from Paris will intensify the competition between those trying to make the top eight ahead of London:

From a personal point of view, Nadal will be looking to arrive in England at the peak of his powers. He continues to struggle with an appendix problem and has suffered a torrid time trying to maintain rank in painful circumstances, per Sky Sports.

Nadal confirmed he endured a 10-day course of antibiotics prior to his opening win over Simone Bolelli in Switzerland. "I had some doubts with myself that I would be able to compete well," he said, reported by Sky Sports.

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The world No.2 has since eased beyond Pierre-Hugues Herbert and is the obvious favourite to overcome Coric in the last eight. He could face the likes of Milos Raonic and Ivo Karlovic ahead of a possible final showdown with Federer, should he continue to progress.

Nadal looked to be gaining momentum after returning from the wrist injury which kept him out for three months prior to October. His reasons for pulling out of Paris are yet to be explained, but after battling through so much difficulty, it's likely the Spaniard's decision will be well justified.