US Open, the final Slam of the 2023 season, begins at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Monday and concludes on September 10.
Here are some of the biggest names missing from this year’s edition at Flushing Meadows:
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is arguably the biggest name missing from this year’s men’s singles field. The 37-year-old Spaniard has four of his 22 Majors in New York.
However, this year, he hasn’t played a match this year since sustaining a hip injury during his second-round loss to USA’s Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open.
The injury forced him to pull out of the French Open for the first time since his debut at the clay Major in 2005. In a press conference in May, he had said, “I will not be in Roland-Garros and I do not intend to continue playing in the following months. It has been difficult for me to have continuity in every way, because of my physique. I need to put a full stop to what my sports career is. I am going to regenerate my body and when I feel ready, I will start again.”
“It could be an objective to try to play Davis Cup and prepare for 2024, which will be the last year of my sports career.”
Nick Kyrgios
FILE PHOTO: Nick Kyrgios. | Photo Credit: AP
After reaching his maiden Major final at Wimbledon last year, Nick Kyrgios made his deepest run at Flushing Meadows by making it to the quarterfinals.
This season, the 28-year-old Australian missed the first three Slams due to injuries and he will sit out during the last one as well. He has played in just one official singles match all season — a loss in Stuttgart, Germany, in June.
He missed Australian Open because of an injured left knee that required arthroscopic surgery.
Daniel Horsfall, his agent, had told The Canberra Times that a cut foot sustained when a man allegedly stole Kyrgios’ car at gunpoint forced him to pull out of Roland Garros.
He listed wrist injury as the reason for his withdrawal from Wimbledon.
Emma Raducanu
FILE PHOTO: Emma Raducanu. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Emma Raducanu shocked everyone when she became the first ever qualifier to win a Slam at the US Open in 2021. However, the Brit’s career has been plagued with injuries since then.
This year, former World No. 10 Raducanu missed French Open and Wimbledon after having surgery on her wrists and ankle.
Earlier this month, she made her return to the practice court for the first time since the surgery in May.
Marin Cilic
FILE PHOTO: Marin Cilic. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU
Croatia’s Marin Cilic had a tremendous run at the US Open in 2014 which eventually saw him lifting the trophy after beating Kei Nishikori in the final.
This season has been a treacherous one for former World No. 3. ever since he sustained a knee injury during warm-up at Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune back in January.
Kei Nishikori
FILE PHOTO: Kei Nishikori. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP
Japan’s Nishikori had an operation on his hip in January 2022 and returned to profession this year in June, winning the Challenger title in Puerto Rico.
However, the 2014 US Open runner-up, withdrew from the year’s last Grand Slam tournament on Sunday after being sidelined all month with an injured left knee.
Comments
SHARE