Former world's no. 1 Rafael Nadal could skip the rest of the 2014 ATP season after suffering an injured right wrist last August, Sports Illustrated Jon Wertheim reported in his latest article this week.
According to Wertheim, a source informed him that Nadal might take another break from the sport to keep him fully prepared for next season's campaign.
The 28-year old Spaniard sustained torn ligaments in his wrist while preparing for the North American hard court season, an injury that prevented him to play at the Rogers Cup, Cincinnati Masters and US Open.
"Maybe they were simply putting on a brave face, but ATP officials were expressing confidence that Nadal would be back from a wrist injury for the Asian swing and the World Tour Finals. I've also been told by sources not to be surprised if he shuts it down for the rest of the season," Wertheim reported.
After failing to protect 4,000 ATP World ranking points, it seems that fighting for the world's no.1 spot is not any longer a priority for Nadal.
While Nadal hasn't released his status yet, a decision to sit out the remainder of the season would be a backbreaker for organizers in the Asian circuit of the ATP Tour, which all expects the Spaniard's presence in the tourney.
Nadal already took a lengthy hiatus before when he sustained an injured knee at the Wimbledon Open in 2012. After a seven-month break, he came back strong and piled up 10 tournament wins in 2013 - including victories at the French and US Open championships.
Nadal is currently training hard in Mallorca, hoping he can recover sooner than expected. Moreover, there are rumors that he will suit up for an exhibition game against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on September 25, though it's not confirmed yet.
"According to the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation, Rafael Nadal will play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga two Thursdays from tomorrow in an exhibition match on September 25 in Astana," Tennis X reported.
For more Rafael Nadal news, and tennis rumors, read more at Travelers Today
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
