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
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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.

 

 

 

 

 



Bahrain’s Yavi Strikes Late to Win Steeplechase Gold Medal

 Winfred Yavi, of Bahrain, celebrates with her national flag after winning the gold medal in the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP)
Winfred Yavi, of Bahrain, celebrates with her national flag after winning the gold medal in the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP)
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Bahrain’s Yavi Strikes Late to Win Steeplechase Gold Medal

 Winfred Yavi, of Bahrain, celebrates with her national flag after winning the gold medal in the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP)
Winfred Yavi, of Bahrain, celebrates with her national flag after winning the gold medal in the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP)

Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won the women’s Olympic 3,000 meters steeplechase gold medal on Tuesday, dethroning Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai who had to settle for silver.

Yavi jumped for joy after crossing the line, having overtaken Chemutai with an explosive final sprint that left the Ugandan who had led most of the race unable to respond.

Chemutai was in shock after Yavi, 24, stole the finish to add the Olympic title to last year’s world championship, setting an Olympic record time of 8 minutes 52.76 seconds.

“This is like a dream come true. It’s something special,” Yavi told reporters. “It means a lot to me and also to the country.”

Kenyan 20-year-old Faith Cherotich, ranked third in the world, claimed bronze on her Olympic debut.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech took an early lead and was shoulder-to-shoulder with Chemutai but faded in the last lap and ended sixth, while France’s Alice Finot celebrated her fourth-place finish in a very fast race.

Chepkoech, 33, holds the world record of 8:44.32 but has never won an Olympic medal in the event.

In Tokyo, it was Chemutai who delivered the upset and took the gold from favorite Chepkoech to become the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic medal in any sport.