Rafael Nadal's Laver Cup withdrawal fuels retirement talk

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he will not participate in the upcoming Laver Cup in Berlin.

The Spaniard was previously expected to represent Team Europe in the indoor hard-court event that pits European players against the best players from the rest of the world.

While Nadal did not specify a reason for his withdrawal, he expressed confidence in his fellow European players to "help the team deliver the win" via a statement released on social media.

"I have so many great, emotional memories from playing Laver Cup and I was really looking forward to being with my teammates and with Bjorn [Borg] in his final year as Captain. I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar," Nadal said.

While Nadal's replacement for Team Europe has yet to be announced, rising British star Jack Draper could be a viable candidate to join Alexander Zverev (Germany), Carlos Alcaraz (Spain), Daniil Medvedev (Russia), Casper Ruud (Norway) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) in the Borg-led squad.

Nadal's decision follows a pattern of the Spaniard withdrawing from events he previously committed to. The 38-year-old similarly pulled out of the Wimbledon and U.S. Open at the very last minute, citing injury prevention and being meticulous about the events he wishes to play. That's why he prioritized playing in the French Open and the Paris Games, even as neither event saw him go too far.

As expected, Nadal's latest withdrawal intensifies speculation of his looming retirement. The 22-time major winner raised eyebrows after the Paris Olympics when he said he doesn't "know what's going to happen in the future" while hinting he may have already played his last match.

Nadal's camp has also been secretive about his lingering injuries and ailments. As such, it's hard to gauge what the future holds for the iconic player. Nadal recently told Spanish daily Espacio Movistar that he's "in a period of rest" and has no idea if he will ever play a major again.