World number two Djokovic pulls out of Madrid Open

Madrid: Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Madrid Open masters event after retiring from his quarter-final in the Serbia Open on Friday due to illness and allergies, organisers said on Saturday.

The world number two, a semi-finalist last year at the clay event in the Spanish capital, had to pull out of his match against Filip Krajinovic in Belgrade after his fellow Serbian had taken the first set 6-4. The ATP said there had been a lot of pollen in the air in Belgrade where Djokovic, who lost to Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals at last month’s Rome Masters, was the top seed and defending champion.The Madrid event starts on Sunday. Bureau Report