Nadal withdraws from US Open
Nadal’s announcement on social media was not much of a surprise. Yes, he was on the official entry list released last month for New York, but that was more of a formality than anything and did not preclude the 22-time major champion from withdrawing at any point before competition begins Aug. 26.
Rafael Nadal
NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal pulled out of the US Open on Wednesday, making it the third Grand Slam tournament he’s missed this season and raising more questions about his future in tennis at age 38.
Nadal’s announcement on social media was not much of a surprise. Yes, he was on the official entry list released last month for New York, but that was more of a formality than anything and did not preclude the 22-time major champion from withdrawing at any point before competition begins Aug. 26.
Plus, Nadal telegraphed this news a week ago after his participation in the 2024 Olympics for Spain ended with a quarterfinal loss in doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. That followed a second-round loss in singles to rival Novak Djokovic, who left Paris with the men’s gold medal.
When he was asked then about playing at the US Open, Nadal paused for a while before responding.
“Looks like not. But I’m going to let you know soon,” he said. “For me, now, I can’t give you a clear answer. I need some time, but for me, (it) looks difficult.”
Nadal has not announced anything about a possible retirement, but given his age and a recent history of injuries — including hip surgery in 2023 and abdominal muscle issues in 2024 that limited his number of matches the past two seasons — it seems safe to say he probably does not have much left in him.
He is a four-time champion at the US Open, taking the titles in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019. But the absence this time means he will have sat out the hard-court tournament in four of the past five years; the exception was 2022, when he lost in the fourth round to Frances Tiafoe.