(Paris) Rafael Nadal, record holder for victories in Monte-Carlo, and Carlos Alcazar, world No.2 and one of the favorites, announced on Tuesday their withdrawal for medical reasons from the Monaco Masters 1000 on clay which begins on Sunday.
Nadal explained on his Twitter account that he was insufficiently recovered from the injury to the left leg which kept him off the courts for two and a half months.
“I am not yet ready to compete at the highest level, I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte-Carlo” which he won 11 times, writes the ex-N . 1 in the world, fell to 14e rank in the ATP rankings.
“I am not yet able to play with the maximum guarantees and I continue my preparation hoping to return soon”, adds Nadal, who co-holds with Novak Djokovic the record for titles in Grand Slam tournaments (22).
Alcaraz, who turns 20 on May 5, also announced his absence from the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo on his Twitter account.
“After consulting my doctor today (Tuesday), Dr.r Lopez Martinez, in Murcia, I won’t be able to go to Monte Carlo to kick off the clay court season,” he wrote.
He explained that he suffers from post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and muscle discomfort in his back “which requires rest to prepare for everything that is yet to come”.
The Monte-Carlo tournament also lost the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, forfeited due to “left knee pain” for “a few weeks”.
On his Instagram account, the 7e world player wanted to “take a little time” to return “in great shape” to the Masters 1000 in Madrid, which begins on April 26.
Alcaraz, winner of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, was eliminated in the semi-finals of that of Miami last week, a defeat against Jannik Sinner which made him lose his first place in the ATP in favor of Djokovic.
In his message, he said he finished this match “with physical pain”, which led him to consult.
Nadal’s package, 36, for the first big tournament of the European season on clay casts doubt on his presence at the French Open at Roland-Garros (May 28-June 11), which he won 14 time, the last one last year.
Nadal has not played competitively since losing the Australian Open second round on January 18 to American Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets.
He had felt a sharp pain in the second set but had gone to the end of the match when he had the greatest difficulty in moving.
The Spaniard had then estimated between six and eight weeks the duration of his unavailability, drawing a line under the tournaments of Indian Wells and Miami.
Nadal has been accumulating physical problems since he was 14e coronation at Roland-Garros in the spring of 2022, where he had triumphed despite an anesthetized left foot to contain the pain caused by the chronic illness he has suffered from since the age of 18 (Müller-Weiss syndrome).
An abdominal tear in particular had then forced him to give up playing his semi-final at Wimbledon a month later.
His long absence from the courts knocked him out of the Top 10 of the world rankings on March 20 for the first time since April 2005.
