The 36-year-old announced his decision on Twitter and explained that he wouldn’t take unnecessary risks. “We decided not to go to Montreal and to continue training without forcing ourselves. Thank you very much to the director of the tournament, Eugène, and to all his team for the understanding and support they have always shown me and today Today was no exception,” he wrote.
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Canadian Open
Later in the statement, the Spaniard said he doesn’t want to aggravate the injury. “I hope to play again in Montreal, a tournament that I love and that I have won five times in front of an audience that has always welcomed me with great sympathy. I have no choice but to be careful at this stage and think about my health. he added.
Rafael Nadal hasn’t explained what type of injury he has but it could most likely be an abdominal injury he sustained at Wimbledon. The 22-time Grand Slam winner withdrew from competition ahead of the semi-final match against Nick Kyrgios, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the final.
Difficult preparations for the US Open
Withdrawing from the Canadian Open will be a significant hurdle for Nadal in the preparations for the US Open. Before this tournament, he will have few opportunities to play – it all depends on his eventual appearance in Cincinnati.
The abdominal injury has taken its toll on Nadal virtually since the start of Wimbledon, and it particularly hampered him in the duel with Taylor Fritz, mostly on serve. After withdrawing from the tournament, he took a few days off and went on vacation, and upon his return he gradually increased the intensity of training.