Ozeki Kotomitsuki withdrew from the ongoing New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday, citing knee and toe problems.

Kotomitsuki fell to his sixth defeat at the hands of rank-and-filer Takekaze on the seventh day of action at Ryogoku Kokugikan and decided to pull out after consulting stablemaster Sadogatake.

"It appears that he has no strength in his left knee or the big toe on his left foot. I want to have him work hard and start fresh from the spring meet, " said Sadogatake.

It is the first time Kotomitsuki has pulled out of a meet since he withdrew from the 2009 New Year basho. He forfeits his scheduled bout against Yoshikaze on Sunday.

Kotomitsuki made a nightmare start to the 15-day meet, losing his first four matches before a win on the fifth day.

Should he sit out the remainder of the 15-day meet, Kotomitsuki will finish with a majority of losses and would then be faced with the possibility of demotion at the spring meet in March.