Rafael Nadal is out of the US Open having called time on his season due to a foot injury that has been troubling him for a year. He posted on Instagram:
“Hello everyone, I wanted to inform you that unfortunately I have to end the 2021 season.
“Honestly, I have been suffering a lot more than I should with my foot for a year and I need to take some time.
“Having discussed it with the team and family, this decision has been made and I believe that it is the way forward to try to recover and recover well.
“It is a year that I have missed things that matter a lot to me, such as Wimbledon, such as the Olympics, how the United States Open is going to be now, (and) many other events that are also important to me.
“In view of the fact that during the latter year I have not had the ability to train and prepare and compete in the way that I really like to… I came to the conclusion that what I need is time to recover.
“I am (determined) to do whatever it takes to regain the best possible shape, to continue competing for the things that really motivate me and the things that I have done during all these years.
“I am convinced that with the recovery of the foot and obviously a very important daily effort this can be achieved. I will work as hard as I can to make it happen.”
Don’t worry my love!!! I’m sure you will come back..take a rest and all’ the time that you need..a big kiss Eva
As a said last time this will be the final story of rafa’s beautiful tebis career. After the injury tafa will continues with lack of confidence. . At his age imho he will never win another grand slam. I was and i will always been a rafa huge fan but now i am very pesimistic. Time will told us if i am wrigth or not. Until that vamos rafa
Rafa, you are a class act. I do believe you when you say you will recover in a way that allows you to practice and compete at the level you demand of yourself. Best of luck to you, your family, and your team! Vamos!
I’m both concerned and hopeful. Rafa does not promise what he can’t do but from what little info I’ve read about this condition….anyway I wish him all the very best, of course, and I will miss his tennis terribly in the meanwhile.
But, that said, Rafa has not had “terrible” luck with injuries, just bad luck to have been born with his foot condition. Examples of “terrible” luck are Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro. If Rafa never plays another match he will retire with one of the three best careers in tennis history, and as the greatest clay court player of all time and, I believe, FOR all time. But I do believe he will be back and we will watch him do what he does best of all. FIGHT!
Crushed……
Hope he has enough to stay in the top 10 till 2022. Should retain around 5K points for the rest of the year.
Hope for the best return ever……break all records next year….
Wouldn’t protected status help him? I don’t know much about that rule other than it helps an injured player from losing points because of injury? I think that’s how it goes.
I would imagine, depending on how many players reach the top five, or top ten, that could affect his place in the rankings. And, does it depend on “when” he actually announced his injury or when he first went to see his doctor and received a diagnosis? Did he receive a diagnosis before that TV interview and would that impact his eligibility?
Or is it less complicated than that?
According to FAQ’s on atp tour.com a player can ask for entry protection after missing at least six months due to injury. The ranking will be the average of the first three months missed. It will apply to the first nine events entered or for nine months whichever comes first. Therefore Rafa will not be allowed to apply before next February.
Wishing for the best outcome for Rafa with his foot problem. If and when he returns, regardless of ranking, I’m sure he will give it his all.
I think he’s likely to stay in the top 10, especially as Federer and Thiem will drop out, so that amazing record of Rafa’s goes on. It’s top 8 that matters though, and even that would make his return much more difficult than if he was in the top 4.
Margo – protected ranking can only be used for entry to a tournament, unfortunately it wouldn’t give Rafa a higher seeding. I’m sure any tournament would give him a wildcard anyway, but let’s hope it doesn’t get to that point.
Thanks for mentioning that point Jas_uk. The protected ranking excludes wild cards and of course they would be offered to Rafa by every tournament.
Sorry about that as I didn’t mean to suggest that he would get higher seeding upon his return, if he does return, hypothetically speaking. So say Rafa gets a wild card, he still has to play the same number of matches as if he were ranked #1 at a Slam? No byes in a Masters so he would have to play 1 more match than he would have had to if he were ranked #6?
To explain what I was looking for, for Rafa, is how can Roger be ranked at #9 when he’s played so little? Is it because of the pandemic rules put in place?
Is it because Roger played so little that he doesn’t have a lot of points to protect?
Why would Rafa sink so low in the rankings upon his return? Would it be because other players are winning more of the Masters or Slams? Or just gaining more points than Rafa?
Rafa you amaze me with the ability since 2005 to manage Muller Weiss degeneration in your foot. Well done!!
Hopefully we will see you here in Melbourne 2022, all recovered arriving in a Covid free country. It is awful here at present…lockdown and rule breakers. I too will miss you at the US open, I thought that you may do well with perhaps another title. Clever man, honest, humble and happy…love you lots. Good luck. XX
rafa will also pull out from AO 2022, he will sart fresh after AO 2022…..i hope rafa will recover soon with his foot injury….but he also has to get to his A game after that…its hard but with rafa u can beleive it it can happen
Rest and recover well, Rafa! Best wishes always!❤️
Wishing you a full recovery what ever time it takes to be 100% healthy once again. Glad to hear you are aiming to be back next season., 2022 I will miss you so much at the US Open but the time away to get well and rest up with family, friends and team will certainly ensure that you will be able to prolong your career for yourself and all your fans globally. I will check in to see how your recovery is going. Be well, Rafa! See you next season, already can’t wait for that!
God Bless you Rafa – take the time to heal and I so look forward to seeing you play again. You are my Tennis hero!! Vamos!!
It is indeed very sad news, though not unexpected. I believe Rafa has made the right decision. Very best wishes to him for a full recovery, so that he can return to the Tour and play freely, without pain.
Rafa, am so sad with your news. All prayers and very Best Wishes for your return to full health. God Bless you and heal you . 🇪🇸💪🙏☘
Rafael Nadal-we are relieved that you are addressing the foot injury and taking time to completely recover. You and your team know best. We look forward to seeing you back on court. It has been a brutal time with the pandemic, and many have suffered physically and psychologically. You have done much to encourage others during challenging times, so now we wish you the best in overcoming this difficulty. Good luck.👏💪🤛👍🍀❤️🎾
I don’t know what to say right now. That’s tough😌😌
Take rest and get well soon champ. We miss you on the court but health is the most important thing in life.
Vamos Rafa❤️
So sorry, Rafa, you have been suffering a lot, play8ng and winning with pain. Rest and you will come back even stronger than before, like you always did. I admire your courage and honesty. It must be very hard decisions. Love from Canada
So sorry about your foot Rafa..the US Open will NOT be the same or as exciting without YOU!!!
Rest up champ.
Wow, the comment by Jas_UK that Rafa could hardly walk up the stairs really floored me. Was that in 2019 or more recently? Either way it shows that Rafa has made the right decision. I wonder if the foot problem was the cause of the back issue at the AO?
I was feeling sad but Rafa’s comments now make me really hopeful for the future.
I seem to remember them saying that in 2013! He’s had terrible luck with injuries, but he’s overcome them before.
In 2019, but I should probably clarify that was due to the knee injury Rafa sustained at Indian Wells, nothing to do with his foot.
The thing I’ve wondered about is the fall Rafa had in Rome (the first one, when he took a while to get up). He caught his left foot on the line and said that he was worried for a moment until he was sure it was “just pain”. Not a nice thought even in itself, but could that have set off the current flare-up?
Like you David, I feel a bit more hopeful after watching Rafa’s video message.
I prepared mentally to the fact that Rafa would not perform at US open. Sad about it but wishing a full and speedy recovery and hope to see him on a court very soon.
There’s no one like him, vamos Rafa!
It’s not a surprise, but it’s sad news, especially with Roger and Dominic both out already. Hoping that Rafa is able to recover from this and that we’ll see him back on court in the New Year.
Rafa has made a very wise decision which, I guess, most of us saw coming. Proper healing can not be rushed, so take good care of yourself champ. Rest, enjoy a less stressful life for now and see you on the courts next year.
Rest well Rafa and be fully recovered for the coming year. We’ll wait patiently for your return to the tour with a fully fit body. Vamos!
Yes,yes,yes!!!!!To say we will miss you is an understatement but to say you must be at your best to be happy is right!!!! Thank you for honesty and the priviledge of watching you do what you do best…fight for the best.
I know you will do everything possible to return to the form you seek. Rest and relax that foot!!! You are loved.
You will be sorely missed at the U.S. Open this year but want you to get well & rest up for the 2022 Season. Best of luck.