World No. 3 Rafael Nadal has announced that he will not participate in the ATP World Tour Finals next month in order to have surgery to remove his appendix.

The 14-times grand slam champion confirmed his decision after losing to Croatian teenager Borna Coric in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors in Basle.

The 28-year-old Spaniard told Sky Sports News: “I’m not going to Paris and London. I’m not competitive enough. I am going to have surgery on November 3.

“I need to work on my back a lot. Since Australia I’m not 100% recovered. That needs time and a period of five weeks to work hard again.

“I need to try to fix all the things that bother me. I’m going to work for one month in December and I will be back at the start of 2015.”

Nadal’s withdrawal from the ATP means the player ranked ninth will make it through to the event at the O2 in Greenwich.