As Novak Djokovic continued to seek the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf’s record in 1988, several big names from both men’s and women’s tennis have begged off this year’s U.S. Open tournament for various reasons. Aside from defending champion Dominic Thiem earlier withdrawing from the prestigious tourney, the other top two contenders for the G.O.A.T. title Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have also said pass. Meanwhile, American superstar Serena Williams was also out to give fans a clear picture of another pandemic-laden season of the U.S. Open.
While the absence of these four top players is what most fans will miss this year, other tennis stars also skipped New York including Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, American Jennifer Brady, and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who all cited injury or medical reasons for their withdrawals from the tournament.
As the U.S. Open wrapped up with a shattering Daniil Medvedev upset in straight sets against Djokovic in the finals (6-4, 6-4, 6-4), we take a look at some of how our favorites who skipped this year’s tournament are currently doing and what they have been up to.
Roger Federer
With rumors of retirement circulating on the tennis grapevine, the 40-year old Swiss legend had announced last August that he will be undergoing another knee surgery instead of making a U.S. Open appearance this year. This latest surgery was the 3rd on the same knee (right) and is expected to require a longer recuperating period than the first two, prompting both Federer and his fans to question if he can ever return to his top form.
With a record of 20 Grand Slam wins which he currently shares with both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, not to mention a few more notable records he could break down the line, Federer vows to return to the pink of health soon. Though it’s no easy path as he has to go through some rigorous rehabilitation process, the champion remains adamant so far to continue his tennis legacy, while of course staying realistic.
Nonetheless, his journey will not be an ephemeral one. And with time going against him, no one is sure if he can capture another Grand Slam title and, in turn, break Australian Ken Rosewall’s 1972 record at 37, as the oldest in men’s singles player to win a major.
Rafael Nadal
The Spanish king of clay’s withdrawal from the U.S. Open is less surprising than others in this list as he had already announced via Instagram in mid-August that he will be skipping the rest of the season due to a foot injury.
Hounded by the same injury since the latter part of last year, Nadal decided to skip Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics and seek the necessary treatment for his injury to return to tiptop shape. Rafa expressed how emotional and frustrated he was during his injury since his semi-final loss to Djokovic at Roland Garros. Later on, he would also withdraw from the ATP Masters 1000 event.
After playing in Toronto for the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, the champion discussed the injury with his team, family, and doctors before ultimately deciding to forego the rest of the season and focus on regaining his form 100 percent.
Nadal had experienced a similar injury back in 2005 and was able to come back from a major injury to win several major titles, including four U.S. Opens. Just recently, Rafa posted on Instagram how he had already received treatment in Barcelona and is now recovering at home.
Serena Williams
Six-time U.S. Open champion Serena Williams also skipped matches at Flushing Meadows this year due to a torn hamstring. This is the second time she has had to withdraw from the tournament since 2017.
At 39, the tennis superstar admitted that she had to deal with multiple injuries in recent months and needed to heal her entire body so she could return to her most competitive form. Having played her last match at Wimbledon wherein she had to quit after slipping on court, Williams also has similar unfinished business when it comes to records as that of Federer’s, mainly being one short to tie Margaret Court’s 24 Grand Slam titles which she has been chasing since the Australian Open.
Based on how active Williams is on social media, it’s only a matter of time until we can all see her once again competing on court for more titles. In the meantime, the champion is getting some well-deserved rest and enjoying some quality time with her family, particularly her beautiful daughter Olympia.
Dominic Thiem
Defending champion Dominic Thiem of Austria also shocked tennis fans before the U.S. open went underway with his announcement that he will be skipping this year’s tournament due to a wrist injury. He sustained the fateful injury at the Mallorca Open in June making this his first absence for a Grand Slam.
Thiem’s posterior sheath of the ulnar side on his right wrist was detached and had to wear a splint for a week before he can compete again. Unfortunately, the injury had worsened after that making it impossible to compete for the U.S. Open. Thiem explained that a particular forehand shot made his wrist more unstable which then made any form of forehand difficult to perform.
As per his doctors’ advice, the Austrian champion has to take a few months off the court to recover, giving him more time to focus on his off-court efforts which include ocean conservation and sustainable development. Thiem is currently working with Adidas for its environmental campaigns mainly on sustainability as he continues to promote his on-court apparel that is produced from upcycled marine waste.
Venus Williams
Older sister Venus also announced that she will be withdrawing from the New York tournament on the same day that Serena did. This time, a leg issue was the culprit which she had been nursing throughout the summer.
Playing just 12 matches throughout the entire year, the seven-time Grand Slam title holder will also be taking some well-deserved time off for herself to rest and enjoy life, while also assuring her adoring fans that she will be returning to the court soon. Despite receiving a wild card to the U.S. Open which later on became a direct entry due to several withdrawals, 2021 was pretty much a frustrating year for the champion which only makes her want to come back stronger next year.
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