Tennis
Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are postponing their return to the ATP and WTA Tours. Both are battling injuries. The 35-year-old has pain in his leg and the 39-year-old’s knee injury is yet to heal.
Nadal had to cancel his debut at the ATP Masters in Toronto and the tournament in Cincinnati due to a leg injury. “That’s not the message I wanted to convey. But I have a pain in my leg and it doesn’t allow me to compete. I hope we see you in Toronto in two years,” 35 watching the tournament in Canada The year-old said on Instagram. Organizers in Cincinnati later said that Nadal would not play there immediately after the Toronto event.
The 20-time Grand Slam winner should have played against Lloyd Harris in Toronto after a bye in the first round. After a two-month break from the tournament, Nadal last lost in the round of 16 against South Africa in Washington. Even after this, he complained of pain in his feet. Nadal recently skipped the Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Williams: “Soon to be back on the pitch”
Also, former world number one Serena Williams (39) will not start in Cincinnati (August 14-22) in the WTA tournament. The 23-time Grand Slam winner is still battling a knee injury she suffered at Wimbledon and has already forced her to resign from the Olympics. “Unfortunately I will not play in the Western and Southern Open. I plan to be back on the field very soon,” said Williams, whose sister Venus Williams has also retired. Meanwhile, Wimbledon winner Ashleigh Barty (Australia) and two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka (Japan) will play.
