Rafael Nadal to miss 2024 Laver Cup, plans to support Team Europe “from afar”

The Laver Cup announced on Thursday that Rafael Nadal had withdrawn from the team competition, which is set to take place next week in Berlin, and would not be competing for Team Europe in 2024.

“I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week,” Nadal wrote in a statement.

“This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win.

“I have so many great, emotional memories from playing Laver Cup and I was really looking forward to being with my teammates and with Bjorn in his final year as Captain. I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar.”

Nadal, who had announced plans to participate in Laver Cup back in April, was last on court at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, where he lost in the second round of men’s singles to eventual champion Novak Djokovic and in the quarterfinals of men’s doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had planned to play Laver Cup, which was likely to be his final event of the 2024 season, as recently as August when he withdrew from this year’s US Open.

The former world No. 1 initially looked to make 2024 his final season on tour, but pushed back on that assertion at the Olympics, leaving future plans up in the air and the door open for a return in 2025.

“If I have to tell you it's 100% my last Roland Garros? Sorry, but I will not,” he said after a first-round exit from Paris in May. “Because I cannot predict what's going on.”

Team Europe is yet to announce a replacement for Nadal: their line-up, led by captain Bjorn Borg, currently consists of Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Team World announced Alex de Minaur and Tommy Paul would be sitting out the event earlier on Thursday. Francisco Cerundolo and Thanasi Kokkinakkis would join a team led by captain John McEnroe and players Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, and Alejandro Tabilo.

The 2024 Laver Cup will take place from September 20-22 at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany.