This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On August 4, 2020, Rafael Nadal announced that he would not be participating in the US Open, scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 13, 2020, in New York.
"After many thoughts, I have decided not to play this year's US Open," Nadal said on Twitter. "The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don't have control of it. This is a decision I never wanted to take, but I have decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being, I rather not travel."
Nadal's decision comes as no surprise, given his long-standing concerns about the revised tennis calendar. In June, he warned that he would not consider playing the US Open unless he was satisfied that conditions were "completely safe."
With Nadal's withdrawal, the US Open will mark the first time since 1999 that neither he nor his long-time rival Roger Federer will feature in the main draw of a Grand Slam event. Nadal's absence also means that he will miss the opportunity to equal Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam titles.
Despite Nadal's withdrawal, the US Open will still feature a strong lineup of players, including world number one Novak Djokovic, who will be looking to win his 18th Grand Slam singles title. The women's draw will be led by Romania's Simona Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, and will also feature Serena Williams, who is chasing a seventh US Open title.
