Defending champions Croatia will be without Marin Cilic in the Davis Cup finals after the former US Open winner announced his withdrawal because of a knee injury.
“My recurring knee injury has continued to give me problems, and as the season progressed it was becoming more evident that surgery was inevitable,” Cilic, world number 39, wrote on Facebook.
The “rehab work was successful enough that surgery is not necessary at this stage,” he continued.
“However, I will need to undergo a few minor interventions which will keep me off the tennis court for a longer period and unfortunately means I will not be able to compete at the Davis Cup this month.”
Adding that he was “extremely disappointed”, the 31-year-old Croatian said he would dedicate himself to getting back into shape to kick off the 2020 season “healthier, more prepared, and more motivated than ever”.