Rafael Nadal has decided not to compete at the US Open due to fitness concerns, he has revealed, adding that he intends to return to the court for the Laver Cup team event at the end of September.
The Matador, whose last title at Flushing Meadows dates back to 2019, misses the final Grand Slam of the year for the second consecutive season.
"I'm writing today to let you know that I've decided not to play in this year's US Open, a place of which I have some incredible memories. I will miss those electrifying and special evening sessions at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, but I don't think I will be able to give 100% this time", he wrote in a post on X.
Nadal added that his next tournament will be the Laver Cup. The next edition of the team competition will be held in the period September 20-22 in the German capital Berlin. The 22-time Slam champion was last at the Paris Olympics, where he lost to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in the second round and reached the doubles quarterfinals with Carlos Alcaraz.
The former world No. 1 has slipped to No. 159 in the world rankings after suffering from injuries over the past two years. The lack of sufficient playing rhythm was visible in the defeat by Djokovic in Paris – 1-6, 4-6. Nadal sat out the Australian Open earlier in January and suffered the earliest loss of his career at Roland Garros, falling to Alexander Zverev in the first round.
The Spaniard skipped Wimbledon to prepare for Paris 2024. The tennis tournament in the French capital was held on the clay courts of Roland Garros, where Rafa holds the record for titles with 14. | BGNES
