Spain’s Rafael Nadal, 22-time Grand Slam champion, has sparked hopes of his return to a Grand Slam event after he was named on the US Open entry list released on Tuesday.
His name was included in the list via a protected ranking, and does not guarantee his participation.
Rafael Nadal, who has been grappling with injuries over the past two seasons and playing intermittently, is participating in his first tournament in six weeks in Bastad, Sweden. This week, he won a doubles match with Casper Ruud on Monday and then defeated Leo Borg in singles on Tuesday.
At 38, Rafael Nadal boasts an illustrious history at the US Open, where he has claimed four of his 22 Grand Slam titles in 2010, 2013, 2017, and 2019. However, he sat out the tournament in three of the last four years, with his most recent appearance ending in a fourth-round exit in 2022.
The U.S. Tennis Association released its entry lists for women’s and men’s singles based on Monday’s WTA and ATP rankings, featuring top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner. Defending champions in New York, Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic, are both currently ranked No. 2.
Nadal at Paris Olympics
Nadal is expected to participate in the Paris Olympics, where the tennis competition will commence on July 27.The competition is being held at Roland Garros, the same as the French Open.
It is unclear if Nadal will continue to play post the Paris Olympics. The play at the US Open begins on August 26.
The draw to determine the brackets for the US Open will take place on August 22.
(With AP inputs)