<p class="title rtejustify">Novak Djokovic said that sport needed "legend" Rafael Nadal to make another comeback after it was announced that the injury-plagued Spaniard had withdrawn from his season-opening tournament in Brisbane.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal said that he would not play in Brisbane because of a left thigh strain, prompting yet more fears over the 32-year-old's long term future in tennis.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal, who claimed his 17th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros last year, has not played a competitive match since September.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">He also lost the world number one ranking to Djokovic, whose battles with the Spaniard are one of modern sport's greatest rivalries.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"He has done the comebacks for so many times in his career that you always believe that he can do it again," said Djokovic after reaching the Qatar Open quarter-finals on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"He has a very physical style of tennis which obviously is putting a lot of load and pressure on his joints, on his knees.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Sport needs Rafa, no question about it. He is one of the greatest legends of all time and we want to see him play."</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic and Nadal have met in the finals of all four of the Grand Slams and 52 times in total.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Among their most memorable matches was the 2012 Australian Open final, lasting almost six hours and won by the Serb.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A 2013 French Open semi final was dubbed the greatest ever match on clay and last year battled again for more than five hours in a Wimbledon semi-final.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">They first met in on court in Paris in 2006 when, ironically, Nadal was declared the winner after Djokovic had to retire during the match with injury.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal, the current world number two, has not played a main tour event since a knee problem forced him to retire during his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro in September last year.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The 32-year-old had surgery on his ankle in November and only resumed training three weeks ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal said doctors were confident he would be fit to play at the Australian Open which starts on January 14.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"They say that it's a very small thing, but it can become a big thing, because a strain in the muscle is dangerous," he said. AFP PDS PDS</p>
<p class="title rtejustify">Novak Djokovic said that sport needed "legend" Rafael Nadal to make another comeback after it was announced that the injury-plagued Spaniard had withdrawn from his season-opening tournament in Brisbane.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal said that he would not play in Brisbane because of a left thigh strain, prompting yet more fears over the 32-year-old's long term future in tennis.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal, who claimed his 17th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros last year, has not played a competitive match since September.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">He also lost the world number one ranking to Djokovic, whose battles with the Spaniard are one of modern sport's greatest rivalries.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"He has done the comebacks for so many times in his career that you always believe that he can do it again," said Djokovic after reaching the Qatar Open quarter-finals on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"He has a very physical style of tennis which obviously is putting a lot of load and pressure on his joints, on his knees.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"Sport needs Rafa, no question about it. He is one of the greatest legends of all time and we want to see him play."</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Djokovic and Nadal have met in the finals of all four of the Grand Slams and 52 times in total.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Among their most memorable matches was the 2012 Australian Open final, lasting almost six hours and won by the Serb.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">A 2013 French Open semi final was dubbed the greatest ever match on clay and last year battled again for more than five hours in a Wimbledon semi-final.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">They first met in on court in Paris in 2006 when, ironically, Nadal was declared the winner after Djokovic had to retire during the match with injury.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal, the current world number two, has not played a main tour event since a knee problem forced him to retire during his US Open semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro in September last year.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The 32-year-old had surgery on his ankle in November and only resumed training three weeks ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nadal said doctors were confident he would be fit to play at the Australian Open which starts on January 14.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">"They say that it's a very small thing, but it can become a big thing, because a strain in the muscle is dangerous," he said. AFP PDS PDS</p>