- Spaniard ‘disappointed’ to drop out
- Will ‘cheer Team Europe from afar’
Rafael Nadal has pulled out of next week’s Laver Cup as he battles to regain full fitness, the Spaniard said on Thursday. Nadal last played at the Paris Olympics, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the second round, before skipping the US Open due to concern about his fitness.
The 22-time grand slam winner said at the time that he was targeting a return at the Laver Cup, from 20-22 September. “I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin,” Nadal said in a statement on Thursday. “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.