List of Players Not Playing ATP Rotterdam 2021

It seems like the ATP Rotterdam Open 2021, or the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament as the event is named, is jinxed even before the chair umpire calls play.

The calendar ATP event, which is scheduled to get underway from March 1, has been hit by a string of big-name pullouts, with some carrying injuries and niggles from the just concluded Australian Open.

Here’s a look at the top names who will be missing in action at Rotterdam this year;

Rafael Nadal

The 20-time Grand Slam champion and current World Number 2 withdrew from this year’s ATP Cup, citing back spasms, raising question marks about his recent participation at the Australian Open. 

Though Nadal eventually reached the last-eight at Melbourne Park this year, it isn’t known if his persistent back problem impeded his progress at the year’s first Major.

However, his pullout from Rotterdam would suggest that his back is still bothering him and needs more time to heal.

Matteo Berrettini

The rising Italian tennis star looked to have hit top form at the Australian Open, reaching the fourth round and setting up a mouthwatering clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the last eight. However, Berrettini’s campaign was cut short by an abdominal strain, eventually forcing the World Number 10 to concede the pre-quarters tie to the Greek.

Gael Monfils

Not a spring chicken anymore at 34, the veteran Frenchman seems to have been slowed down by injuries. The 12th ranked Monfils finished on the losing side of an absorbing five-set battle against rising Finnish star Emil Ruusuvuori in the opening round of the Australian Open, and his latest injury seems to have set him further back in his quest to get some results going his way.

Denis Shapovalov

The Canadian star reached the third round of the Australian Open before going down to compatriot Felix Auger-Aliassime. Now an injury has robbed the 11th ranked Shapovalov of a chance to rise from the disappointment at Melbourne Park and gun for glory at Rotterdam.

Milos Raonic

The 30-year-old Canadian’s campaign in Melbourne was cut short in the fourth round by eventual champion and top-seed Novak Djokovic. Now, an injury-enforced pullout from Rotterdam has made the comeback road for Raonic a bit tougher than what he would have hoped for.

Pablo Carreno Busta

The World Number 16 suffered an injury midway into his Australian Open clash against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, eventually forfeiting the third-round tie. Busta now has a battle on his hands to regain full fitness before he can plot his way into the Top-10.

Casper Ruud

The 22-year-old Norwegian pulled out midway through his fourth-round clash at Australian Open against Russian Andrey Rublev. His pullout from Rotterdam now suggests that it would take longer for the 24th ranked Rudd to return to the pink of health than he would have hoped.

Taylor Fritz

The 23-year-old American was gutted after stretching Djokovic like nobody has at Melbourne Park in recent times and still finishing on the losing side of the absorbing third-round encounter. Now, Fritz has to work his way back to fitness before he can resume his quest for glory.

Daniel Evans

The British World Number 28 was beaten by fellow countryman Cameron Norrie in the opening round of the Australian Open. It was in many ways an anti-climax for the 30-year-old Englishman after landing his maiden Tour title at the Murray River Open. Laid low by an injury now, it won’t be easy for Evans to put himself back in contention for titles.

Read More: Following Rafael Nadal’s Withdrawal, Daniil Medvedev to Possibly Break the Big-4 Stranglehold at ATP Rotterdam

Jannik Sinner

Adding to the bulging list of big-name pullouts from the Rotterdam event, rising Italian star Jannik Sinner put out a statement on his Instagram page saying he has withdrawn from the tournament.

Currently ranked 34th in singles, the 19-year-old said he was still nursing a score back from his fourth-round defeat to Slovenian Aljaz Bedene in the ongoing event in France and is not a “100% fit yet”.