The Spanish tennis icon withdrew from the Australian Open due to a newly discovered muscle tear, a setback in his comeback journey following a year-long hiatus.
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the upcoming Australian Open, just one week before the commencement of the season’s first major tournament. Nadal, who recently returned to the court after a 12-month hiatus, cited concerns over his surgically repaired hip as the primary reason for his decision.
The 22-time major winner experienced a setback during the Brisbane International quarterfinals, where he took a medical timeout in the third set of his match against Jordan Thompson. Initially considering it to be a muscular issue rather than a recurrence of the tendon problem that plagued him last year, Nadal later disclosed via social media that scans in Melbourne had revealed a small tear in the muscle.
Addressing his fans, Nadal stated, “Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried. Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news.”
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the upcoming Australian Open, just one week before the commencement of the season’s first major tournament. Nadal, who recently returned to the court after a 12-month hiatus, cited concerns over his surgically repaired hip as the primary reason for his decision.
The 22-time major winner experienced a setback during the Brisbane International quarterfinals, where he took a medical timeout in the third set of his match against Jordan Thompson. Initially considering it to be a muscular issue rather than a recurrence of the tendon problem that plagued him last year, Nadal later disclosed via social media that scans in Melbourne had revealed a small tear in the muscle.
“Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level. I’m flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest.” Rafael Nadal
Nadal’s latest setback follows a nearly year-long absence from the court, during which he underwent hip surgery in June. Despite concerns about his physical condition, the former top-ranked player exhibited promise in his recent comeback, winning his first two competitive matches in a year before succumbing to Thompson in the Brisbane International.
