Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, announced Wednesday that he will not compete in the US Open, citing concerns about not being able to perform at his best.
The 38-year-old Spaniard shared his decision on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating, “I don’t think I would be able to give my 100 percent this time.”
Nadal, a four-time US Open champion, plans to return to competition at next month’s Laver Cup in Berlin. His absence from the US Open will mark the sixth time he has missed a Grand Slam in the past seven tournaments, with his only appearance being a first-round exit at this year’s French Open.
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In his post, Nadal expressed regret at missing the US Open, a tournament he has fond memories of. “Hi all, writing today to let you guys know that I have decided not to compete at this year’s US Open, a place where I have amazing memories,” he wrote. “I will miss those electric and special night sessions in NYC at Ashe. Thanks to all my US fans in particular, will miss you all and will see you another time. Best of luck to all for the always amazing US Open!”
Nadal, who competed at the Paris Olympics, lost in the second round of singles to eventual champion Novak Djokovic and reached the doubles quarter-finals with Carlos Alcaraz. At last month’s Bastad tournament, Nadal made his first ATP final since 2022 but lost to Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
His most recent Grand Slam title came at the 2022 French Open. Since his last US Open win in 2019, Nadal has missed four of the past five tournaments, with his only participation being a run to the fourth round in 2022.