Rafael Nadal ends 2021 tennis season early because of niggling foot injury

Rafael Nadal has announced he will end his 2021 season prematurely due to a left foot issue that has been troubling him for a year.

Nadal's announcement comes 10 days out from the start of the US Open.

The world number four made a shock exit at the ATP Tour event in Washington earlier this month, where he kicked off his lead-up to the US Open.

Nadal, a 20-time major winner, later pulled out of the Masters 1000 event in Toronto due to the foot injury.

"I wanted to inform you that unfortunately I have to end the 2021 season," Nadal tweeted on Friday.

The recurring injury flared up at the French Open, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

"Honestly, I have been suffering much more than I should with my foot for a year and I need to take some time … to find a solution to this problem or at least improve it in order to continue to have options for the next few years," Nadal tweeted.

"I'm with the maximum enthusiasm and predisposition to do whatever it takes to recover the best possible shape to keep competing for the things that really motivate me.

"I'm convinced that with the recovery of the foot and obviously a very important daily effort … this can be achieved.

Nadal's great rival Roger Federer is also out of the US Open and will be sidelined for several months because he needs knee surgery.

The US Open runs from August 30 to September 12.

Reuters