Nadal to join Federer, Sampras in Malaysia exhibitions

BANGKOK: Spain's Rafael Nadal will join world number one Roger Federer and 14-times grand slam winner Pete Sampras in a series of exhibition matches in Malaysia in November.   

Nadal, the world number two, will face France's Richard Gasquet in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 20, two days before Federer and Sampras play each other for the first time, organisers said on Monday.   

The exhibition matches are part of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence.    The one-off contest will be Nadal's first event in Southeast Asia following his withdrawal from this week's Thailand Open because of a knee injury.