Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the US Open, joining Roger Federer in ending his 2021 season early due to injury.
Nadal made the announcement a little over a week before the last grand slam tournament of year was set to begin on August 30.
It's another reminder we're getting ever closer to the end of an era, with Nadal and Federer both on the verge of hanging up their racquets for good.
Barely a week after Federer announced the end of his season due to a knee injury, Nadal confirmed he would be stepping away from the tour to address an ongoing injury to his left foot.
"I am very sorry to announce that I will not be able to keep playing tennis during the 2021 season," Nadal said in a video posted to social media.
"As you know I have been suffering too much with my foot for the past year.
"I have missed a lot of important events for me like the US Open now, like Wimbledon, like the Olympics and many other events that are so important and emotional for me."
After skipping the Olympics, Nadal was set to compete in the US swing, culminating in the US Open.
He suffered a surprise round of 16 defeat to Lloyd Harris in Washington, D.C. and travelled to Toronto, but pulled out before the tournament began.
"After coming back from Toronto, I took a couple of days to think about it. I needed to talk with my family, with my team and with my doctors especially to understand what is going on," he continued in his social media video.
"But the foot is not the proper way today.
"During the past year I was not practising and preparing myself the way that I need to to be competitive at the standards that I want to be, so we had to take that decision.
"But I am confident that I will recover 100 per cent and I will be able to fight again for the most important things.
"The injury is nothing new. It is the same injury that I have had since 2005.
"In that moment, the doctors were very negative about my future career, but I was able to have a career that I never dreamed about. So I am confident that I will recover again the foot and if the foot is better, I am confident that my tennis and my mentality will be there again soon."
Like Nadal, Federer confirmed his withdrawal from the US Open via a video posted to social media.
He will undergo surgery on his knee but his hopeful of returning to the Tour next year.
"I am realistic, don’t get me wrong," Federer said in the post.
"I know how difficult it is at this age right now to do another surgery and try it, but look, I want to be healthy and I’ll go through the rehab process also with a goal while I’m still active, which I think is going to help me during this long period of time."