Tennis legend, Rafa Nadal has pulled out of the 2024 Laver Cup as he battles to regain full fitness after a turbulent year.
He has had to battle various injuries this season, and he is pulling out of the competition because he would not be able to play at his best due to fitness issues.
He also skipped the 2024 U.S. Open because of fitness concerns.The last competition he participated in was the Olympics in Paris in August.
Nadal confirmed his unavailability in a statement on Friday.
The statement reads, “I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week,
“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.
“I have so many great, emotional memories from playing Laver Cup and I was really looking forward to being with my teammates and with Bjorn in his final year as Captain. I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar.”
Nadal last played at the Laver Cup in 2022, when he teamed up with his rival Roger Federer in the Swiss great’s final match of his career.
The Laver Cup is contested between Team Europe and Team World,
The competition is set to start in Berlin on September 20.
Team World won their second consecutive title last year with a dominant win of 13-2 over Team Europe after winning the Laver Cup for the first time in 2022.
Nadal has slipped out of the top 150 in the rankings after struggling with injuries for two years.
