Rafael Nadal has revealed that he has no injury problems at present, despite withdrawing from the upcoming Laver Cup.
The Spaniard announced on Thursday that he will not be competing in Berlin next week. He has not stepped foot on a court professionally since his defeat at the Paris Olympics earlier this summer.
Nadal confirmed in April that he planned to compete for Team Europe later this month and would often talk about his desire to play in Germany, but the 38-year-old has now opted to pull out of the event entirely.
The decision prompted further speculation about Nadal’s future, with talk of retirement circulating regularly after an injury-ridden few seasons
However, Nadal has insisted that fitness problems were not the reason for his decision to miss the Laver Cup. He told Eurosport: “Right now, I’m not in a position to win anything.
I said that I would play until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and then we would see, and I am in that time of rest. Mentally, I am well. Zero problems physically too.
I’m at home enjoying other things and training what I can daily. These are the decisions that are being made and it was a possibility. I haven’t competed for a while. There will be another player who would play better.
The tennis superstar announced his decision via the official Laver Cup social media accounts, explaining that he feels that it is in the best interest of his teammates if he does not attend the event rather than playing whilst not feeling ready. His replacement for the event has not been announced at this stage.
Nadal said: “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 (Borg) in his final year as Captain. I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar.
