Rafael Nadal mentioned on Friday he’s saddened by Novak Djokovic’s absence from the US Open as he returns to the match for the primary time in three years.
The Spanish legend has not performed in New York since defeating Daniil Medvedev in 5 units to carry the 2019 title.
Nadal has added three extra Grand Slam singles titles to his haul since that victory, taking his whole to 22 – the all-time males’s file.
Whereas the 36-year-old can be wanting so as to add to that tally over the subsequent fortnight in New York, Nadal admitted on Friday that the absence of Djokovic left him “very unhappy.”
Djokovic confirmed on Thursday he’ll play no half within the match after refusing to get vaccinated towards Covid-19 – inserting him at odds with US authorities journey necessities for worldwide guests.
“From my private perspective, it’s very unhappy information,” Nadal mentioned.
“It’s at all times a disgrace when the most effective gamers of the world will not be in a position to play a match due to accidents or due to completely different causes.
“On this case, not having among the finest gamers of the historical past in the draw of Grand Slam is at all times an essential miss, no? Powerful for the followers, robust for the match. For my part, robust for the gamers, too, as a result of we wish to have the most effective area potential.”
But regardless of Djokovic’s absence, Nadal is adamant that the match is not going to be diminished by the non-participation of the Serbian nice, who is only one behind the Spaniard in Grand Slam singles titles with 21.
“I repeat what I mentioned loads of occasions: the game in some methods is larger than any participant,” Nadal mentioned.
“I missed numerous essential occasions in my tennis profession due to accidents, surely. Final yr I used to be not right here. Two years in the past I used to be not right here. The match continues. The world of tennis maintain going.
“Even when shouldn’t be a excellent news for everybody, the world continues and the tennis will proceed after me, after Novak, after Roger (Federer).”
Nadal began 2022 in blistering trend, profitable each the Australian and French Opens earlier than an belly muscle harm compelled him to withdraw from the Wimbledon semifinals.
He returned from that harm on the Cincinnati Masters this month however exited within the second spherical. Nadal mentioned Friday he had been defending the harm throughout his Cincinnati comeback.
“It’s a troublesome harm as a result of it’s harmful, it’s dangerous,” he mentioned. “When you will have a scar, it’s a spot that you simply put lot of effort while you are serving.
“I take it very simple within the Cincinnati, too, within the practices. The match, I attempt my greatest with out placing all the trouble there on the serve.”
Nadal, who opens his US Open marketing campaign towards Australian wild card entrant Rinky Hijikata on Tuesday, was cautiously optimistic about his preparations.
“I’m doing issues the easiest way that I can,” he mentioned. “I hope to be prepared for the motion, no? That’s the one factor that I can say.
“Taking care with the serve, being sincere. However normally phrases, sure, I’m working towards at excessive stage of depth.”
