World No 1 Rafael Nadal has been ruled out of action for three weeks after being diagnosed with a torn inner hip muscle.

The Spaniard suffered the injury during the fourth set of his Australian Open quarter-final against Marin Cilic and was forced to retire early in the fifth.

‘The MRI [scan] showed a grade one injury of his iliopsoas on his right leg,’ his management said in a statement.

‘He will be resting over the next days once back in Spain and will start with anti-inflammatory physiotherapy.

‘He will start his rehabilitation and pre-adaptation process to the tennis court in two weeks, starting progressively his training and practice.’