US Open champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week’s Shanghai Masters after failing to recover in time from an injury he sustained during the Laver Cup.
The 19-time grand slam winner has pulled out of the event due to inflammation in his left wrist. Rumours of Nadal’s decision began to emerge on Thursday evening following a news report in Spain, but it wasn’t officially confirmed by the tournament until today. It is the second consecutive season he has been forced to skip Shanghai due to injury after missing last year’s event due to a knee problem.
“As you all probably know, I had an inflammation on my left wrist during the Laver Cup and I haven’t had the time to recover and practise to be ready for this amazing event,” the 33-year-old said in a statement.
“I hope to be back in Shanghai for the 2020 tournament.”
Nadal is currently scheduled to return to the tour at the Paris Masters, which will get underway on October 28th. It is set to be his penultimate tournament of 2019 before the ATP Finals. He has no ranking points to defend during the rest of the season.
“We will obviously miss not having Rafa here at the Shanghai Masters. He has been an incredible supporter of the tournament and of tennis in China.” Said tournament director Michael Luevano.
“Also, on a personal note, as well as speaking for the entire family at the Shanghai Masters, we wish Rafa and his fiance Maria Francisca all the very best for their upcoming wedding.”
Away from the court, Nadal is currently preparing to get married to his long-term girlfriend Xisca Perello. Their wedding is reportedly taking place in Mallorca on October 19th.
Nadal is a two-time finalist in Shanghai. Finishing runner-up to Nikolay Davydenko in 2009 and Roger Federer in 2017. He hasn’t won a title of any sort in Asia since the China Open in October 2017.
As a result of the withdrawal, Daniil Medvedev is promoted to the third seed behind Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Medvedev was the person who Nadal defeated in the final of this year’s US Open.
