Injured Juan Martin Del Potro forced out of Barcelona Open

Juan Martin Del Potro has pulled out of this month's Barcelona Open claycourt tournament due to lingering tendinitis in his right wrist, the Argentine world number five said on Thursday. 

The injury has sidelined 21-year-old Del Potro, the US Open champion, since he lost to Croatia's Marin Cilic in the last 16 at January's Australian Open.

He said in a statement on the Barcelona Open website (www.barcelonaopenbancosabadell.com) the wrist was improving but he had been unable to train properly in recent days.                

Russian world number six Nikolay Davydenko has also withdrawn due to a wrist injury, leaving third-ranked Rafael Nadal of Spain as clear favourite to win a sixth straight title.