Rafael Nadal pulled out of the U.S. 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 wrote on social media that he will miss “those electric and special night sessions” in Arthur Ashe Stadium, “but I don’t think I would be able to give my 100% this time.”
He added that his next event will be the Laver Cup in Berlin on Sept. 20-22. Nadal teamed with Roger Federer in a doubles match at that event in 2022, when Federer played for the final time before his retirement.
Nadal's announcement 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
In 2023, Nadal hurt his hip during the Australian Open in January and was forced to skip the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. This year, he hurt a muscle near the hip during a tuneup event before the Australian Open, so he sat that out. He then played at the French Open in May, but lost in the first round to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev. Nadal opted to skip Wimbledon last month so he wouldn't have to manage the transition from the clay at Roland Garros to the grass at the All England Club, before returning to clay for the Olympics.
Nadal owns a record 14 titles from the French Open, and two apiece from Wimbledon and the Australian Open. His most recent two Slam trophies arrived in 2022, at Melbourne in January and at Paris in June, pushing him ahead of Federer for the then-record of 20 Grand Slam titles for a man.
Federer announced his retirement when he was 41 at the end of the 2022 season. Both he and Nadal have since been surpassed in the Grand Slam count by Djokovic, who reached 24 by winning last year's U.S. Open.
The U.S. Tennis Association said that Nadal's place in the tournament would be taken by Mackie McDonald, the American who is No. 93, making him the highest-ranked man not yet in the field. McDonald defeated Nadal at the 2023 Australian Open.
The draw to set the brackets for the U.S. Open is scheduled for Aug. 22.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Serbia's Novak Djokovic, right, hugs Spain's Rafael Nadal after their men's singles second round match at the Roland Garros stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. Novak Djokovic dominated rival Rafael Nadal to win 6-1, 6-4 at the Paris Olympics in the second round. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Carlos Alcaraz, left, and Rafael Nadal of Spain leave the court after losing against Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the USA during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain's Rafael Nadal leaves the court after losing to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in their men's singles second round match at the Roland Garros stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. Novak Djokovic dominated rival Rafael Nadal to win 6-1, 6-4 at the Paris Olympics in the second round. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for Manchester City after scoring twice in a 2-1 win against Brentford in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The Norwegian’s double maintained City’s 100% start to the league after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.
Liverpool lost for the first time under new manager Arne Slot, to Nottingham Forest by a shock 1-0 at Anfield.
Manchester United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.
Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.
“He's been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he's the best (he's been), but it's only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.
Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.
He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.
He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.
Slot suffered his first setback in English soccer after Callum Hudson-Odoi fired Forest to a stunning win at Anfield.
Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.
Liverpool had been the only team other than City to have a 100% winning record after the first three rounds, including a memorable 3-0 win against Man United before the international break.
"Far too many times we lost the ball around the area, it was not good enough,” Slot said. “We have to be better with the ball. Our decisions and execution wasn’t good enough.”
Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.
Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.
Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.
Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.
“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.
De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.
It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.
Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.
Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.
But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.
Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.
West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Liverpool's players react after Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot holds a ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland wipes sweat from his face during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, front, duels for the ball with Brentford's Ethan Pinnock during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland runs during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)
Manchester United's goalkeeper Andre Onana save a penalty from Southampton's Cameron Archer during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Southampton's Jan Bednarek speaks to Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Southampton's Flynn Downes, right, and Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes reacts after not getting a corner during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, center, takes a shot during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
