(Indian Wells) Rafael Nadal withdrew from the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami Masters on Tuesday due to a left hip flexor injury that forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion made the announcement on his social media. These withdrawals were expected, but still raise questions about when he will be able to return to the courts.
“I took time off, started rehabilitation, gym training and physiotherapy as prescribed by the doctors,” Nadal wrote on Twitter. I’m getting ready to come back […] in the best conditions. »
Nadal has won the Indian Wells tournament, officially the BNP Paribas Open, three times, where the game will begin on March 8, in addition to reaching the final in 2022. This tournament will be followed by the Miami Open. , starting March 22. Nadal last participated in it in 2017. He has never won the competition despite five appearances in the final, including twice each against Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
After Miami, the ATP will settle in Europe for the clay portion of the calendar, crowned by the French Open at the end of May.
Nadal has won 14 of his major titles at Roland-Garros, including last year, despite chronic pain in his left foot. He then reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, but did not make the semi-finals due to an abdominal injury.
Then, in January at Melbourne Park, the 36-year-old Spaniard was injured in his Australian Open second-round loss.
A magnetic resonance imaging test clarified the nature of the injury. Nadal and his manager said the recovery time is usually six to eight weeks.
Nadal has lost seven of his last nine meetings, a streak dating back to the fourth round of the US Open in September. The former world no. has slipped to eighth place in the latest rankings. The longer he is out, the further he will slip, including being unable to defend the points he picked up at Indian Wells last year.
The main draws of Indian Wells and Miami could also be amputated from the current No. 1 in the world and the one who shares the most titles in major tournaments, Novak Djokovic. The Serb is currently banned from entering the United States as he has not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Djokovic said last week that he requested special permission from US authorities to enter the country and play both tournaments. The Transportation Security Administration said the conditions for foreign travelers entering the country will be in effect until at least mid-April.
