Why Rafael Nadal will skip the ATP 500 event in Dubai

Tennis - "The Match In Africa" Exhibition Match - Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa - February 7, 2020. Switzerland's Roger Federer in action during the exhibition match against Spain's Rafael Nadal. [REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo]

Rafa Nadal will not compete at next week's ATP 500 event in Dubai as he has not recovered fully from a back issue sustained ahead of the Australian Open, the world No.2 said on Thursday.

Nadal struggled with the problem in the build-up to the year's first Grand Slam and skipped Spain's ATP Cup ties but still managed to reach the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park without dropping a set before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas.