Tennis: Nadal forfeits in Montreal

After the inevitable renunciation of Novak Djokovic, who does not meet Canadian health requirements for vaccination against Covid-19, it is Rafael Nadal's turn to forfeit the Masters 1000 in Montreal, which begins next Monday.

The Spaniard, who has won the Canadian tournament five times, is not fully recovered from the abdominal injury that forced him to refrain from playing his Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios.

The man with 22 Grand Slams, 36, has resumed training with his staff on the courts of his academy in Mallorca but prefers to postpone his return to competition.

Hemos decided not to travel to Montreal and proseguir con los entrenamientos sin forzar.

Agradezco de corazón al director del torneo, Eugène y all su equipo por la compresión y apoyo que siempre me han mostrado y hoy no ha sido una exception.

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 5, 2022

“After a few days of vacation and my resumption of training, everything has gone well in recent weeks, explained the Majorcan, winner of the Australian Open and Roland-Garros this season and therefore still undefeated in the Grand Slam in 2022. It's been four days since I also resumed preparation for service

and yesterday

, I felt a little pain which was still there today

.

We decided not to travel to Montreal and to continue with the training without forcing.

»

If his condition allows it, the Manacori could resume mid-August in Cincinnati, where he has not set foot since 2017, to break in before the US Open (August 29 - September 11).

In New York, where he won four times, he will have the opportunity to regain some height from Djokovic (21 Majors) on the roof of history.

Barring a miracle, the Serb, who missed the Grand Slam last year by stumbling in the final against Daniil Medvedev, will not be allowed to enter American territory to defend his chances.