<p>Spaniard Rafa Nadal said on Friday that he will end his 2021 season early due to a left foot issue that has been troubling him for a year, ruling him out of this month's US Open.</p>.<p>The world number four suffered a shock exit in Washington this month, where he kicked off his lead-up to the final Grand Slam of the year, and last week pulled out of the Masters 1000 event in Toronto due to the problem.</p>.<p>"I wanted to inform you that unfortunately I have to end the 2021 season," Nadal tweeted on Friday.</p>.<p>The recurring issue flared up at the French Open, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.</p>.<p>"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 said.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p>"I'm 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."</p>.<p>Nadal's great rival and fellow 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is also out of the US Open and will be sidelined for many months because he needs knee surgery.</p>.<p>The US Open runs from Aug. 30-Sept. 12.</p>
<p>Spaniard Rafa Nadal said on Friday that he will end his 2021 season early due to a left foot issue that has been troubling him for a year, ruling him out of this month's US Open.</p>.<p>The world number four suffered a shock exit in Washington this month, where he kicked off his lead-up to the final Grand Slam of the year, and last week pulled out of the Masters 1000 event in Toronto due to the problem.</p>.<p>"I wanted to inform you that unfortunately I have to end the 2021 season," Nadal tweeted on Friday.</p>.<p>The recurring issue flared up at the French Open, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.</p>.<p>"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 said.</p>.<p>"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.</p>.<p>"I'm 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."</p>.<p>Nadal's great rival and fellow 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is also out of the US Open and will be sidelined for many months because he needs knee surgery.</p>.<p>The US Open runs from Aug. 30-Sept. 12.</p>