Rafael Nadal will miss Australian Open as virus hits injury recovery

Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next month's Australian Open because his recovery from a persistent knee injury has been hampered by a stomach virus.
Former world number one Nadal, 26, has suffered from tendonitis in his left knee since losing in the second round of Wimbledon in June.

The injury forced the Spaniard, who has won 11 Grand Slam events, to withdraw from both London 2012 and the US Open.
He also pulled out of an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi on 27 December.
"My knee is much better and the rehabilitation process has gone well, as predicted by the doctors, but this virus didn't allow me to practise this past week," Nadal said in a statement.
"Therefore I am sorry to announce that I will not play in Doha and the Australian Open, as we had initially scheduled."

- BBC.co.uk