Rafael Nadal: Spaniard ends 2021 season because of foot injury

Rafael Nadal will miss the US Open after the Spaniard ended his 2021 season because of a foot injury.

The injury caused the 20-time Grand Slam winner to miss the Cincinnati Masters and Canadian Open last week.

Defending champion Dominic Thiem and five-time winner Roger Federer have also pulled out of this year's US Open.

Nadal, 35, wrote on Instagram: "Honestly, I have been suffering a lot more than I should with my foot for a year and I need to take some time."

He added: "Having discussed it with the team and family, this decision has been made and I believe that it is the way forward to try to recover and recover well.

"I am [determined] to do whatever it takes to regain the best possible shape, to continue competing for the things that really motivate me and the things that I have done during all these years.

"I am convinced that with the recovery of the foot and obviously a very important daily effort this can be achieved. I will work as hard as I can to make it happen."

The four-time US Open champion did not compete at Wimbledon or the Olympic Games in order to rest following the clay-court season.

He sustained the injury at the French Open in June, where he failed to defend his title for the first time since 2016 in defeat by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

The US Open begins on Monday, 30 August, however 2020 champion Thiem will be absent because of a wrist injury and Federer has also ended his season as he prepares to have further knee surgery.

Federer and Nadal are tied with world number one Novak Djokovic - who will be seeking to complete the calendar Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows - for the all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles.