World number one Rafael Nadal has pulled out of next month’s China Open and Shanghai Masters tournaments, to allow his knee injury to recover.

The injury forced the 32-year-old to retire from his US Open semi-final earlier this month.

He also missed Spain’s Davis Cup semi-final defeat by France at the weekend.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who has suffered from tendonitis in his knee in the past, could return for the Paris Masters at the end of October.

“While the annoyances on my knee are nothing new, we have decided together with my medical and technical team, not to participate in the Asian tour to recover the knee the way we have always done,” he tweeted.

The China Open, which starts on 1 October, and Shanghai Masters, starting on 7 October, form the main part of the Asian leg of the ATP Tour.

Nadal has reached four Grand Slam finals in the past two years – winning the US Open in 2017 and back-to-back French Open titles in 2017 and 2018.

He also reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open this year, as well as the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka has beaten Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-1 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo – her first match since winning the US Open.

The 20-year-old beat Serena Williams to win her first Grand Slam earlier this month – a victory overshadowed by Williams’ outbursts at the umpire.

The third seed raced to victory in 59 minutes against Slovakia’s Cibulkova.

She will play either Barbara Strycova of the Czech Republic or Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit in the quarter-finals.

• Live scores, schedule and results
• Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone

Umpire Mohamed Lahyani has been suspended from his next two scheduled tournaments for encouraging Nick Kyrgios on court during the US Open.

Lahyani was heard telling Kyrgios “I want to help you” during a changeover as the Australian trailed Pierre-Hugues Herbert by a set and a break.

Kyrgios, 23, fought back to win the second-round tie in four sets.

The ATP has banned Lahyani, 52, from October’s China Open and Shanghai Masters after an internal review.

“Lahyani’s actions in the match were deemed to have compromised the impartiality that is required of an official,” the men’s governing body said in a statement.

The Swede will be free to return to work at the Stockholm Open on 15 October.

US Open organisers said Lahyani had gone “beyond protocol” but allowed him to continue officiating in the tournament.

However, Lahyani is one of seven full-time umpires on the Tour and so the incident was still subject to ATP disciplinary action.

ATP executive vice president of rules and competition Gayle David Bradshaw said Lahyani is a “world-class and highly-respected official”, but added “his actions during the match crossed a line that compromised his own impartiality as a chair umpire”.

“Although well-intended, his actions were regrettable and cannot go without disciplinary action on our own tour,” said Bradshaw.

“We know that he will learn from this experience and we look forward to welcoming him back in October.”

After the match, world number 27 Kyrgios said it was “ridiculous” to suggest Lahyani’s words had sparked his resurgence.

However, Frenchman Herbert said it was “the point something changed” and that the umpire’s actions were unnecessary.