Rafael Nadal hopes to know more about US Open hopes in ‘next couple of days’ after injury

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Rafael Nadal has admitted that he won’t know more about his foot injury for a couple of days, throwing his chances at the Cincinnati Masters and US Open into doubt. The Spaniard hadn’t played since a shock defeat in the Roland Garros semi-final, returning to competition in Washington last week after the left foot injury stopped him playing for 20 days. He was set to play this week’s tournament in Toronto but withdrew last night (August 10), saying his condition still hasn’t improved.

Nadal joined Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in pulling out of the National Bank Open in Toronto but had travelled to Canada after his third round loss in Washington last week, hoping to play.

Ahead of his opening round encounter with Lloyd Harris, who knocked him out of the Citi Open days ago, he withdrew from the tournament, giving his spot to fellow Spaniard and lucky loser Feliciano Lopez.

Announcing his withdrawal, the 20-time Grand Slam champion admitted that his injury hadn’t improved since arriving in Canada, with many now doubting that he will recover in time for next week’s Western & Southern Open.

It also leaves question marks about his chances for the US Open, which begins in less than three weeks.

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With Nadal, Djokovic and Federer all tied up on 20 Grand Slams each, one of them will be able to pull ahead in New York by winning the title, and hold the most Majors ever won by a male player.

The world No 4 was expected to hit the historic 21 mark at the French Open earlier this year, where he is a 13-time champion, but suffered a shock loss at the hands of long-time rival Djokovic in the semi-finals.

Nadal has been the most successful at Flushing Meadows in recent years, winning four titles since 2010 compared to Djokovic’s three, while Federer hasn’t won in New York since a five-year streak from 2004 to 2008.

The last time he entered the US Open in 2019, he managed to capture the title in a five-set thriller against Daniil Medvedev but with the Spaniard now plagued by his foot injury, he may not be able to repeat that success.

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Speaking in press following his withdrawal in Toronto yesterday, Nadal said: “I have had this issue for a couple of months, as people know. Yeah, of course, is not a happy situation after all the success that I had here in Canada, not being able to play this year after missing a year.

“It’s a tough one, but that’s how it is today, no? I need to go back and try to find a way to be better again. At the end of the day, for me is most important thing is to enjoy playing tennis.

“Today, with this pain, I am not able to enjoy, and I really don’t believe that I have chances to fight for the things that I really need to fight.”

When asked whether he was continuing to feel pain in his foot, the 35-year-old said: “Well, I have been under this process of pain last couple months. I wanted to try even like this. I went to Washington. I tried hard there.

“People who follow tennis, watched on TV, I was suffering, especially in that first match. And I was suffering on the practices too but you always expect an improvement or you hope to improvement, and that’s why I came here.

“And this improvement didn’t happen, no? So I really believe that I am not able to compete at the level that I need because the foot don’t allow me to move the way that I need.”

Nadal admitted that he didn’t know what his plans would be for upcoming tournaments after the disappointing withdrawal in Canada.

He continued: “I really wanted to play here a lot, but now is the moment to take a decision, and this is unfortunately the decision that I taked, and probably in the next couple of days we’re gonna know more.”
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