Tennis great Jim Courier believes Rafa Nadal may have played the US Open if the French Open had come before the Flushing Meadows classic.
“We would love to see Rafael Nadal here, I’m not gonna be diplomatic about this,” Courier said.
“I mean as the defending champion you wanna see him there. But it’s understandable given how they have had to compress the season and put the French Open now just a couple weeks after this Cincinnati-US Open series.
“I think if Roland Garros had been in front of the US Open he would have undoubtedly played the US Open but I just think this is a function of the season getting compressed into a very short pocket and him being cautious.
“I mean as the defending champion you wanna see him there. But it’s understandable given how they have had to compress the season and put the French Open now just a couple weeks after this Cincinnati-US Open series.”
Courier said he didn’t believe think Nadal’s concern was virus-related.
“It’s his physical ability to withstand the rigours of this restart having not played a tournament now since February,” he said.
Iga Swiatek stands one Saturday win away from completing the Madrid-Rome clay trophy double after…
Tommy Paul outlasted seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-5, 3-6,6-3 on Thursday, winning a quarter-final thriller…
Alexander Zverev shook off the effects of an early-stage tumble which required medical intervention to beat…
Aryna Sabalenka faced little opposition as she ignored a nagging lower back issue to earn a…
Andy Murray will make a return to the Stuttgart grass next month, two years after…
Stefanos Tsitaipas spent an hour in matching Alex de Minaur move for move to deliver…