Rafael Nadal broke many hearts with his decision to skip the US Open this year. However, there are a few tennis fans who are critical of Nadal to prioritize the Laver Cup instead of the Grand Slam. And Nick Kyrgios was having none of it on social media.
On Wednesday, Nadal took to his Instagram to announce his decision not to play in the US Open this year. This is the second year in a row that the 4-time champion has opted to skip the competition.
But since he is opting for rest despite now not being injured, a few of his critics feel that Rafa’s decision is based on the fact that he will get to earn more there in appearance fees. Hence, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is being bashed for allegedly succumbing to the lure of money even at the cost of not showing up in the United States.
Pavvy G, who is an ardent fan of Novak Djokovic, is one of the critics who has been at the forefront of this criticism. He wrote, “A fully fit Nadal has withdrawn from the @usopen but will play in the Laver Cup a couple weeks after the US Open with a huge appearance fee.”
However, this argument wasn’t liked by Australian tennis player Kyrgios, who replied to Pavvy and supported Rafa’s decision. Kyrgios said that this wasn’t something to be upset about as the players have the right to be concerned about the financial side of playing in any tournament.
Can’t be upset at players taking money bro.
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 8, 2024
Kyrgios’ response is backed by his own opinion that tennis is an expensive sport and with schedules getting tougher to manage, players will tend to go ahead with what benefits them the most.
Apart from that, it’s no secret that Rafa has been struggling with fitness issues lately. He had a very disappointing clay season and lost the first round of Roland Garros, a major he has won for a record 14 times. Post that, he didn’t have the best time at the Paris Olympics, where he was defeated in the second round of the men’s singles event.
Nadal also took part in the men’s doubles event at the Olympics, due to which he had to play back-to-back matches while not being in the best of health. This only made him struggle more with his knee.
Given the fact that Rafa is already a legend of the game and has achieved almost everything in the sport, he has earned the right to pick which tournament he wishes to play in.
Also, at the same time, considering the injuries he has had in his career, he isn’t getting any younger and faster at 38. So his body doesn’t permit him to play to his full potential, which gives him another fair reason to opt out of a competitive tournament and instead, pick a tournament that doesn’t go harsh on his fitness.
