Tennis-Nadal to Skip US Open, Plans to Return at Laver Cup

20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
TT

Tennis-Nadal to Skip US Open, Plans to Return at Laver Cup

20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa

Rafael Nadal has decided not to participate in the US Open due to concerns about his fitness, the Spaniard said on Wednesday while adding his next event will be the Laver Cup in late September.

For Nadal, who won the most recent of his four US Open titles in 2019, this marks the second consecutive year he has sat out the year's final Grand Slam.

"Writing today to let you guys know that I have decided not to compete at this year's US Open a place where I have amazing memories," the 38-year-old Nadal said in a post on X.

"I will miss those electric and special night sessions in NYC at Ashe, but I don't think I would be able to give my 100% this time."

Nadal added that his next event will be the Sept. 20-22 Laver Cup in Berlin.

The 22-times Grand Slam winner competed at the Paris Olympics where he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the second round of the singles competition and reached the quarter-finals of the doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, Reuters reported.

"Rafa is a tremendous champion and he will be missed during the 2024 US Open by the fans and all those associated with the tournament," US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster said in a statement.

"We wish him all the best and look forward to having him back at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center."

The 38-year-old former world number one has fallen to 159th in the rankings after struggling for two years with injuries and against Djokovic at the Olympics suffered one of his worst losses in a 6-1 6-4 defeat.

Nadal sat out the Australian Open in January after suffering a small muscle tear during his comeback from a long injury layoff and in May crashed to his earliest French Open exit when he lost in the first round.

The Spaniard skipped Wimbledon to prepare for the Paris Olympics where the tennis event was played on the clay courts at Roland Garros where he celebrated 14 French Open titles.

 

 

 

 

 



Zverev Opens ATP Finals with Convincing Win over Jodar

15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
TT

Zverev Opens ATP Finals with Convincing Win over Jodar

15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa

Aiming to punctuate the best year of his career with another big title, top-ranked Alexander Zverev got his ATP Finals campaign off to a strong start with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over debutant Rafael Jodar on Sunday.

Zverev claimed his first two Grand Slam titles this year and ascended to the No. 1 ranking for the first time. He’s aiming for his third trophy at Finals after taking the season-ending event in 2018 and 2021.

“It's been a very good year for me. A lot of things that I've wanted to achieve I have achieved this year," Zverev said, according to The Associated Press. “But playing here you can never take it for granted.”

The 20-year-old Jodar is the first man to qualify for the Finals in the same season that he made his tour-level debut in.

The 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Zverev dominated with his serve, cranking out 10 aces on the fast indoor surface, and consistently applied pressure on Jodar’s serve.

It was a convincing performance for Zverev after entering on a two-match losing streak that included a straight-set loss to Lorenzo Musetti in his first match as No. 1.

“To start the tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 win is always very, very nice,” Zverev said. “I still think I have a lot of things to improve. It was not a perfect match.”

The only time Zverev got in trouble was when he faced two break points while attempting to serve out the first set. He hit an ace on the first break point and a service winner on the second and then another ace before closing the set out.

“He served very good in those two points, so I didn’t have any chance,” Jodar said.


Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
TT

Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Ronaldinho made his return to professional football on Sunday for Ravenna, an ambitious club in Italy's third tier aiming to reach Serie A.

The 46-year-old Brazilian great put in a low-key performance in his first competitive match since playing for Fluminense in 2015, as Ravenna took on local rivals Forli bidding for promotion.

The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner only played in the first half but was involved in the move which ended with Giulio Donati smashing hosts Ravenna ahead in the 36th minute.

Ronaldinho entered the field to great fanfare, with the 5,000-capacity Stadio Bruno Benelli adding a temporary stand with 1,800 places -- dubbed "R10" -- for the occasion.

Flares and smoke bombs were let off in the stands while Andrea Bocelli's "Con Te Partiro" blasting out of the stadium's speakers.

Ravenna, who have not even played in Serie B since 2008, are second in their regional group in Serie C and came into the weekend's fixtures six points behind leaders Spezia.

One team for each of the three groups will be directly promoted to Serie B, with the final spot in the second tier decided by a play-off.


Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
TT

Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA

The Saudi U15 girls' national football team begins its training camp today in Jeddah. The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions.

The camp aims to enhance the players' technical and physical readiness and strengthen team cohesion through a training program developed by the coaching staff, SPA reported.

The program is designed to improve performance and prepare the team for the next phase.

The camp is part of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's development plan for the U15 girls' national team.