Rafael Nadal is set to skip the 2024 Cincinnati Open in a surprise move, although he intends to compete at the US Open.
The Cincinnati Open, formerly known as the Western & Southern Open, is the oldest tennis tournament in the USA and the last Masters 1000 before the final Grand Slam of the season. The entry list for this year's edition has been released and features a stacked lineup.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will be keen to renew their rivalry after contesting last year's incredible final, which the Serb won after three hours and 49 minutes in the longest best-of-three men's final in ATP history.
They will not be the only ones who will vie for the title as World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and former champions Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev will also play at the event.
However, the prominent and most apparent omission from the initial entry list is Rafael Nadal, who won the tournament back in 2013. This was part of his most impressive feat on hard courts: winning the Canada-Cincinnati double before he conquered the US Open for the hat-trick.
Nadal remains the last man to pull off that odds-defying streak. He won't be able to replicate that at 38, that's for sure, now that he's extra careful about his physical health and has truncated his schedule to accommodate only a few tournaments this season.
The Spaniard will also miss the Canadian Open, with the men's tournament being held in Montreal this year. The decision to skip the start of the North American hard-court swing is understandable as he will likely finish his Olympics tournament very late.
Nadal is expected to do well in Paris later this month, competing in singles and doubles. He has already considered the implications of jet lag and the transition to hard courts within such a short window as unworthy of his involvement in Montreal, which kicks off two days after the Olympic Games.
But Nadal's decision not to sign up for the Cincinnati Open is mildly shocking, considering that he wants to play the US Open and is on the entry list for the last Grand Slam of the season.
Of course, he can still change his mind and play in Cincinnati to prepare for New York by accepting a last-minute wild card. A maximum of four main draw wild cards will be offered by the tournament.
And it is feasible that Nadal will be granted one, given his legendary status and as a former champion, if he wants game time before traveling for the US Open.
Nadal is currently competing at the ATP 250 event in Bastad, where he made his first stop in the Swedish city in 19 years. He is looking to "defend" the title he won in 2005.
He defeated Leo Borg and Cameron Norrie to reach the quarterfinals, where he will play Argentina's Mariano Navone. The 22-time Grand Slam champion is also competing in doubles at the event, where he has reached the semis while partnering Casper Ruud.
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