Nadal pulls out of ATP Finals, Djokovic to end year atop rankings

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 14, 2018. Spain's Rafael Nadal look dejected after losing his semi final match against Spain's Rafael Nadal REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge/Pool

LONDON (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal has pulled out of next week's ATP Tour Finals in London due to injury, so Novak Djokovic will end the year as world number one having returned to the top of the rankings on Monday.

French Open champion Nadal announced that an abdominal muscle problem, which prevented him from playing in the Paris Masters last week, and ankle surgery had forced him to pull out of the season-ending event.