Rafael Nadal Withdrew From Montreal's National Bank Open Due To An Injury
"I hope to play again in Montreal."
Rafael Nadal playing tennis.
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has officially withdrawn from the National Bank Open in Montreal due to an abdominal injury.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion sustained an abdominal tear back in July, requiring him to pull out of his Wimbledon performance against Nick Kyrgios.
Despite his return to training, particularly for the National Bank Open and the upcoming U.S. Open, Nadal will no longer be playing.
The 36-year-old took to his social media to share the news regarding his withdrawal from the competition.
"Since the holidays and my subsequent return to training, everything has been going well these weeks," he wrote. "Four days ago I also started training for the service and yesterday, after the training session, I had a little discomfort that was still there today."
\u201cEspero volver a jugar en Montr\u00e9al, un torneo que me encanta y que he ganado en cinco ocasiones ante un p\u00fablico que siempre me acogi\u00f3 con mucho cari\u00f1o. No me queda otra que ser prudente a estas alturas y pensar en la salud.\u201d— Rafa Nadal (@Rafa Nadal) 1659701716
Nadal went on to say that while he and his team would not be travelling to Montreal, he will continue practicing without force. He then took a moment to thank the National Bank Open director, Eugène Lapierre and the entire tournament team for their understanding and support.
"I hope to play again in Montreal, a tournament that I love and that I have won five times in front of a crowd that has always given me a warm welcome. I have to be cautious at this stage and think about my health," Nadal finished.
The news regarding Nadal's withdrawal comes only a day after Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic announced he would also not be participating.
Djokovic, who has made his stance regarding remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19 very clear, will not be able to enter Canada due to his vaccination status.
The National Bank Open will officially commence tomorrow, August 6 until August 14.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.