Rafael Nadal pulls out of next week’s Madrid Open after a setback in recovery from a hip injury
Rafael Nadal pulls out of the Madrid Open and is a big doubt for next month’s Roland Garros after a setback in recovering from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open
- Nadal has missed four consecutive tournaments through injury
- The Spaniard will not play at the Madrid Open after a setback in his recovery
- His participation in next month’s Roland Garros is being questioned
Rafael Nadal is a big doubter for the French Open after admitting the treatment for the hip injury he suffered in January was not working.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had hoped the problem, which occurred during his second-round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open, would take just six to eight weeks to heal.
But three months later he stops training and, having already missed the first two clay-court events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, has now withdrawn for next week’s Madrid Open.
In a message on InstagramNadal said, “It’s been a rough couple of weeks and months.
‘As you know, I suffered a serious injury to the psoas (muscle) in Australia. Initially it was supposed to be a six to eight week recovery period and we are now at 14. The reality is that the situation is not what we expected.
Rafael Nadal will miss this year’s Madrid Open after a setback in his recovery
He suffered a hip injury at the Australia Open and has since missed four tournaments
“All medical indications have been followed, but somehow the evolution is not what they initially told us and we are in a difficult situation.
“The weeks go by and I had the illusion of being able to play in tournaments that are most important in my career, such as Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, and at the moment I missed Monte Carlo and Barcelona. . Unfortunately I will not be able to be in Madrid.
“The injury is still not healed and I don’t know what to do to participate. I was training, but now, a few days ago, we decided to switch things up a bit, do another treatment and see if it gets better and try to move on to what comes next.”
Nadal won his 14th title at Roland Garros last summer, but has struggled ever since. He withdrew from Wimbledon before the semifinals after suffering an abdominal tear and has won just five matches so far after returning in August.
The 36-year-old admits he doesn’t know when he will be able to return to the competition field, saying: “I can’t give deadlines because if I knew I would tell you, but I don’t know. This is how things are now.
“I have no choice but to try to have the right attitude during this time, try to give myself a chance to participate in one of the tournaments left over from the clay court season and I have no choice but to work and with the to be the right mindset. .’
Nadal fell out of the top 10 in March for the first time since 2005 and currently ranks 14th.
