Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic skip action for first time in 20 years

Roger Federer injured his left groin at Wimbledon 2001, reaching the quarter-final but missing all the action between Gstaad and the US Open that summer. Thus, Federer skipped the Canada Open and Cincinnati, the pre-US Open Masters 1000 events, before returning to action in New York and losing to Andre Agassi in the fourth round.

For the next two decades, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic (at least one of them) were always in the draw of those two Masters 1000 events, all until 2021! For the first time in 20 years, no one from the ‘Big 3’ will compete at the most prestigious pre-US Open tournaments, with all three deciding to take some rest ahead of the season’s last Major.

Rafael Nadal still deals with a foot injury that has bothered him for the last two months, staying away from the practice court for three weeks after Roland Garros and missing Wimbledon and Tokyo. Federer reached the quarter-final at Wimbledon and experienced a bagel against Hubert Hurkacz, still dealing with the pain and missing the pre-US Open Masters 1000 events.

Novak has won all three Majors so far in 2021, becoming the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to achieve that and setting eyes on the calendar Grand Slam at the US Open.