Rafael Nadal withdraws from Laver Cup 2024

Rafael Nadal last played at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Laver Cup 2024 and his replacement will be announced by Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg soon.

A few months ago, it was confirmed that the 37-year-old would play at the Laver Cup. Tennis enthusiasts thought that the Spaniard would announce his retirement at the competition, much like Roger Federer in 2022. However, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Laver Cup has revealed that the 22-time Grand Slam champion won’t be a part of the competition.

They shared a statement on Rafael Nadal’s behalf, which read, “I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week. This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win.”

“I have so many great, emotional memories from playing Laver Cup and I was really looking forward to being with my teammates and with Bjorn in his final year as Captain. I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar.”

Rafael Nadal also withdrew from the US Open 2024 and before that, he didn’t participate at the Wimbledon Championships because he was preparing for the Paris Olympics 2024. Earlier this year, it was stated that he might retire at Roland-Garros but that didn’t happen either.

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Nevertheless, the 37-year-old hasn’t revealed the exact reason behind his withdrawal from the tournament. Rafael Nadal last played at the Paris Olympics, where he was eliminated in the second round of the singles competition after he lost to the eventual gold medalist Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard’s retirement plans are under a huge question mark.

After the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s withdrawal, Team Europe now has Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Meanwhile, the likes of Tommy Paul and Alex de Minaur have also withdrawn from the Laver Cup due to injuries.

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