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Rafael Nadal is backing out of another tournament. On Thursday, the Laver Cup announced that Nadal would be withdrawing from the tournament due to fitness concerns.
“I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week,” reads Nadal's statement, shared on the Laver Cup's social media.
“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.”
The Laver Cup is a doubles cup that pits the best men's tennis players in Europe against each other for three days. The cup was inaugurated in 2017 after Roger Federer's brand, TEAM8, partnered with two international other companies to create the cup.
© Clive BrunskillMore details on Nadal's rocky year
Nadal made his awaited return to tennis this year, after experiencing an injury that left him resting for the entirety of 2023. His last tennis tournament was the Paris Olympics, where he was eliminated in the second round by Novak Djokovic. He also played doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, with the two making it to the quarterfinals.
He's been unable to play in various Grand Slams this year, only participating in the French Open, where he was defeated in the first round by Alexander Zverev. Nadal seemed emotional after the loss, suggesting that this might have been his last Roland Garros. “It’s difficult for me to talk. I don’t know if it’s going to be the last time I’m going to be here in front of you. I am not 100% sure, but if it is the last time, I enjoyed it,” he said to reporters on court.
“It’s a big percentage that I will not be back here playing at Roland Garros, but I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”
