Rafael Nadal closes shop for 2021,out of US Open
Rafael Nadal is out of the US Open having called time on his season due to a foot injury that has been troubling him for a year.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who won his fourth Flushing Meadows title in 2019, is still being troubled by the foot injury he suffered in an epic semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic at the French Open which forced him to miss Wimbledon and the Olympics.
Nadal suffered a shock exit in Washington this month before pulling out of the Masters 1000 event in Toronto due to the same problem.
Spaniard Nadal, 35, said on Instagram: “Hello everyone, I wanted to inform you that unfortunately I have to end the 2021 season.
“Honestly, I have been suffering a lot more than I should with my foot for a year and I need to take some time.
“Having discussed it with the team and family, this decision has been made and I believe that it is the way forward to try to recover and recover well.
“It is a year that I have missed things that matter a lot to me, such as Wimbledon, such as the Olympics, how the United States Open is going to be now, (and) many other events that are also important to me.
“In view of the fact that during the latter year I have not had the ability to train and prepare and compete in the way that I really like to… I came to the conclusion that what I need is time to recover.
“I am (determined) to do whatever it takes to regain the best possible shape, to continue competing for the things that really motivate me and the things that I have done during all these years.
“I am convinced that with the recovery of the foot and obviously a very important daily effort this can be achieved. I will work as hard as I can to make it happen.”
read alsoDefending Champ Dominic Thiem out of US Open
Defending champion Dominic Thiem and five-time winner Roger Federer are also out of the US Open due to injury.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic will go into the tournament, which begins at the end of the month, as red-hot favourite to complete the calendar Grand Slam.