Tennis legend Rafael Nadal, aged 38, has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming U.S. Open, marking the third Grand Slam tournament he will miss this season. This decision has raised concerns about his future in the sport.
In a social media post, Nadal expressed his disappointment at missing the electrifying night sessions in Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, he admitted that he would not be able to give his best performance this time.
The Spanish superstar revealed that his next scheduled event would be the Laver Cup in Berlin, set to take place in September 2022. It is worth noting that Nadal participated in the doubles match of the same event back in 2022 when his long-time rival Roger Federer made his final appearance before retiring.
Although Nadal’s withdrawal may not come as a surprise, as he was included on the official entry list last month, it was always possible for him to withdraw before the start of the competition on August 26.
Last week, after his quarterfinal loss in doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Olympics, Nadal hinted at his uncertain availability for the U.S. Open. When asked about his participation, he hesitated before admitting that it seemed difficult for him to compete.
Despite not making any official retirement announcement, Nadal’s age and recent injury history raise doubts about how much longer he can continue playing. Over the past two seasons, he has faced multiple injuries, including hip surgery in 2023 and abdominal muscle issues in 2024, which significantly limited his match appearances.
Nadal has an illustrious record at the U.S. Open, having claimed the championship title four times in 2010, 2013, 2017, and 2019. However, his absence this year means that he will have missed the hard-court tournament for the fourth time in the last five years.
In 2023, Nadal suffered a hip injury during the Australian Open, forcing him to forgo the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. Similarly, this year, he injured a muscle near his hip before the Australian Open, leading to his withdrawal from the tournament.
The Spanish tennis star made a comeback at the French Open in May but faced an early exit in the first round, losing to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev. To avoid the challenging transition from clay to grass, Nadal made the decision to skip Wimbledon and later participated in the Olympics on clay courts.
With a record 14 titles from the French Open and two each from Wimbledon and the Australian Open, Nadal’s most recent Grand Slam victories occurred in 2022 at Melbourne and Paris, surpassing Federer’s men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles.
Federer, who announced his retirement at the end of the 2022 season at the age of 41, has seen both him and Nadal’s records surpassed by their rival Novak Djokovic. Djokovic claimed his 24th Grand Slam title by winning last year’s U.S. Open.
As a result of Nadal’s withdrawal, American Mackie McDonald, ranked No. 93, will take his place in the tournament. McDonald previously defeated Nadal at the 2023 Australian Open.
The draw for the U.S. Open brackets is scheduled for August 22.
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