US Open without the best? What about Nadal and Djokovic’s participation in the last Grand Slam?

Last weekend, Wimbledon ended, dominated by Novak Djokovic, and three of the four Grand Slams of the season are over. There’s one last one left, the US Open. But it may be without two of its biggest stars.

Although new tennis stars are emerging in the form of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and others, time seems to be stuck on the throne.

The winner of the 2022 Australian Open – Rafael Nadal, 36.
Winner of the 2022 French Open – Rafael Nadal, 36.
Winner of Wimbledon 2022 – Novak Djokovic, 35 years old.

Since the 2018 French Open, the Spanish-Serbian duo have dominated 15 of the 17 Grand Slams. Only the US Open in 2020 was won by Dominic Thiem, a year later Daniil Medvedev reigned supreme. The remaining Grand Slams were dominated by Nadal or Djokovic.

These two are not going to give up their long-standing domination of the tennis world so easily, and that’s still on the sickbed Roger Federer, who would surely also like to have a say in Grand Slam glory.

A US Open without legends?

But it is the two winners of this year’s Grand Slams that we may miss at the US Open, which would be a great pity given the attractiveness of the tournament.

The absence of Djokovic seems much more obvious and inevitable. The USA does not allow unvaccinated citizens of foreign countries to enter its territory and, as we know, Djokovic will not change his conviction about not being vaccinated and will rather sacrifice his participation in the Grand Slam, as he did in January in Australia, from where he was deported.

“Maybe it will change by then, I will wait for good news because I would love to go there. And if not, I have to react,” Djokovic said about the last Grand Slam of the season, which starts on Monday, August 29. The Serb has celebrated the title at Flushing Meadows three times.

Nadal’s injury

In Rafael Nadal’s case, it’s been crystal ball divination so far. The most successful tennis player in history withdrew before the Wimbledon semi-finals because of a seven-millimeter tear in his abdominal muscle and now he is facing a recovery.

BBC expert Tracy Austin said he thinks Nadal withdrew from Wimbledon as well just in view of the US Open, which he preferred. According to him, it was not worth going into two tough matches half-injured and risking aggravating an injury that could then sideline him for an extended period of time.

Instead, the Spanish warrior decided to heal up in order to get himself together for the US Open and try to win his 23rd Grand Slam. Moreover, he is comfortable on the concrete in New York, it is his second favourite grand slam, he has dominated the US Open four times. He has only lifted the trophy in Paris (14 times) more than once, and has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice.

Source: Twitter, MARCA, BBC