Rafael Nadal could miss US Open showdown

• Rafael Nadal has raised concerns that he could miss the US Open
• The Spaniard revealed last week that he would not be competing in the Montreal Open
• Nadal has been resting and getting ready to play again after a lengthy absence

After withdrawing from Wimbledon 2022 to focus on his recovery from injury, Rafael Nadal has raised concerns that he could miss the US Open.

The Spaniard revealed last week on Friday that he would not be competing in the Montreal Open, which was scheduled to take place before the Flushing Meadows tournament later this month.

When defeating Taylor Fritz in a thrilling five-set encounter at Wimbledon, the 36-year-old Nadal withdrew from the competition after he suffered a torn abdominal muscle before his semi-final match against Nick Kyrgios.

Since then, Nadal has been resting and getting ready to play again after a lengthy absence. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been sighted practising at his academy on the Spanish island of Majorca, suggesting he may soon return to the sport.

Despite this, Nadal has announced on his official Twitter page that he did not make the trip to Canada for the Montreal tournament and that he has withdrawn from the competition due to serving pain.

He said that everything in the past few weeks, including his time off and subsequent return to training, is smooth sailing. He said that he started working on his serve a few days ago.

He experienced a little soreness that lasted all day which warranted his decision to skip the trip to Montreal. Nadal opted to continue training while acknowledging that he enjoys the warmth Montreal treats him to.

Unfortunately, he said that he is prioritizing his health and safety at the moment. The world No. 3 will keep working on his recuperation in the hopes of making it back for the start of the US Open on August 29.

There are serious worries that Nadal, who won the Grand Slam in 2019 in a thrilling match against Daniil Medvedev, may miss the tournament for a third year in a row.

Since the four-time US Open winner had to withdraw from the Montreal Open due to injury, his availability for the upcoming tournament remains uncertain.

For his final chance to play before the start of the US Open, Nadal has also entered the ATP Masters 1000 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

Should he miss this Grand Slam, it will be a ‘boring’ tournament because his tennis rival Novak Djokovic is still unsure if he will play in New York.

Djokovic’s unvaccinated status will cost him a fourth US Open Grand Slam. Already, lobby groups are petitioning the US to allow Djokovic to play despite his unvaccinated status.

While speaking to the press after withdrawing from Wimbledon, Nadal said that he cannot win two Grand Slams with such an injury. He had just bagged his 22^nd Grand Slam in the French Open at the time.

“I made my decision because I believe that I cannot win two matches under these circumstances. I can’t serve at the right speed; I can’t do normal movements,” he said.

“I can’t imagine myself winning two matches like this, and for respect for myself in a way, I don’t want to go out there and not be competitive enough to play at the level I need to play at to achieve my goal.”