Andy Murray has withdrawn from next week's Shanghai Masters, saying he will need another several weeks of rest and rehabilitation on his injured wrist.
In a letter to tournament officials, the 22-year-old Scot said that 'rehabilitation has to be a priority.'
His withdrawal comes after Roger Federer, exhausted after a furious May-September winning run, also pulled out and leaves Rafael Nadal as top seed at the inaugural edition of the tournament as an ATP Masters 1000.
Murray has been advised by doctors to rest, with his possible return now pencilled in as the Valencia event from 2 November.
'I apologise for the inconvenience that my withdrawal may cause but I trust you understand the situation is beyond my control and I would much rather participate in the tournament than be in the current position regarding my health,' Murray said in the letter.
The healing process had not gone as quickly as he would have liked, Murray said.
He last played on the ATP when lost to Croatian Marin Cilic at the US Open.
