Written by By Staff Writer
Tennis world No. 3 Rafael Nadal will miss the rest of the year with a foot injury, the Spaniard said in a statement on Wednesday.
The 10-time Grand Slam champion was suffering from tendinitis in his left foot, he said.
“The problem now is that the worst is not over, and the knees have not improved. When the tendon in the foot is not strong enough it is hard to work and it is tough to keep going,” Nadal said.
“After many sleepless nights and with the full support of my team, I’ve made the decision to stop the rest of this season,” said Nadal, 31.
“The decision is based on all the information we’ve gathered from our doctors and specialists and how it fits with my usual recovery schedule.”
Tournament organizers in New York, where the US Open is due to be held from August 27-September 9, said in a statement: “We wish Rafa a full and speedy recovery.”
The decision means Nadal will miss the rest of the year’s events including Wimbledon, the French Open and the US Open.
It follows a couple of topsy-turvy seasons.
Nadal missed the entire clay-court season in 2014 and 2015 due to injury but returned last year and went on to win the French Open for the 10th time.
But he has struggled this year and lost in the first round at Roland Garros to Steve Johnson in April.
He then picked up his latest injury — a painful left foot injury — during practice for the Italian Open in Rome on May 2.
Last month, he also pulled out of a tour event in Madrid to have his injured knee assessed by a specialist.
At the age of 31, he could face a race against time to be ready for next year’s French Open, which begins on May 27, when his career-best run of 81 consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearances would come to an end.
The Spaniard has won 11 Grand Slam titles and a total of 16 Grand Slams overall in a stellar career that has seen him pile up a slew of trophies.