(FASTNEWS|COLOMBO) Rafael Nadal dropped out of the Western & Southern Open on Sunday night, scuttling a reunion of the “Big Four.” Nadal withdrew a few hours after he won his fifth title of the year in Toronto, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 7-6 (4). Instead of playing more grueling matches in Cincinnati, he’ll take a week to get some rest and get ready for the U.S. Open.
“No other reason than personally taking care of my body and trying to keep as healthy as I feel now,” Nadal said in a statement.
And so the “Big Four” reunion will have to wait for at least a few more weeks. Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray haven’t played in the same tournament in more than a year. With Nadal’s withdrawal, Federer becomes the top player in the men’s bracket in Cincinnati.
Of the three left, Murray has the most to gain in Cincinnati.
