Rafael Nadal to play Balearic Golf Championship just one week before US Open

Rafael Nadal, who is currently dealing with a foot injury, is on the entry list for the 2021 Balearic Golf Championship for Mid-Amateurs. The golf tournament is scheduled to run from 21-22 August in Mallorca, which is just one week before the start of the US Open.

Nadal picked up a left foot injury during his Roland Garros semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic. He then pulled out of Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics, hoping to recover in time for the American hardcourt events leading up to the US Open.

Although Nadal did make his return to the tour in Washington, his movement was visibly affected by his foot injury. The Spaniard suffered a shock loss to Lloyd Harris in the second round of the Citi Open, before withdrawing from both the Toronto Masters and the Cincinnati Masters.

Rafael Nadal has reportedly avoided any rigorous training since then, but that hasn't stopped him from enrolling his name for the 2021 edition of the Balearic Golf Championships. The tournament is open to amateur men and women aged above 25, which means Nadal is eligible for it.

The 35-year-old's decision to play the golf event could come as a surprise to some, given its proximity to the US Open. But it is possible that he is just looking to unwind for a bit before resuming his preparations for the New York Slam.

Moreover, Rafael Nadal has a great aptitude for golf; the Spaniard even disclosed about a year ago that it was his favorite sport after tennis. Nadal has a remarkable 0.4 handicap and he finished fourth at the 2020 Balearic Golf Championships, accumulating 72 points across the two-day event.

Rafael Nadal in a race against time to be fully fit for the US Open

Rafael Nadal flew back to Mallorca earlier this week, and has not played much competitive tennis in the lead-up to the last Major of the year. In fact, there haven't even been any videos of the Spaniard's practice sessions on Twitter recently, which has alarmed a few of his fans.

That said, Nadal's decision to play a golf tournament this week suggests that he's not in any physical discomfort right now.

Rafael Nadal standing next to Tiger Woods

For academic purposes, Rafael Nadal played the Balearic Golf Championships on the weekend of 3 August last year. But it should be noted that the 2020 US Open was scheduled to be held at the end of the month then, thereby giving the Spaniard enough time to play golf and get his hardcourt preparations underway.

As it turned out, Nadal pulled out of the 2020 US Open at the last moment, citing a variety of reasons. He finds himself in a similar situation this year, with his match fitness not up to scratch and international travel still being a headache.

There has been a fair bit of speculation that the 35-year-old will skip the US Open this year too. But until there is official confirmation of that, it would have to be assumed he will play.