Rafael Nadal will not play in the Brisbane International

Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Brisbane International but believes he will recover from an ongoing knee injury in time for the Australian Open.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion had already pulled out of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi but the Spaniard's preparations for the opening major of the season have been further derailed.

Nadal, who picked up the French Open and US Open this year, withdrew from the ATP Finals in November with a knee injury and has failed to recover in time for the season opener, which begins on New Year's Eve.