Rafael Nadal Leaves Indian Wells Tournament
The Spanish player, 37, was sidelined for almost the whole previous campaign due to a hip ailment.
Just one day before he was scheduled to play his first official match in two months, Rafael Nadal withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday night.
In a social media statement, the 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal announced the news and said he was doing so “with deep sorrow.”
Nadal made the announcement in a statement issued by the competition. “It’s not a simple decision—it’s a tough one, to be honest—but I can’t lie to myself and the thousands of fans.”
Due to a hip ailment that necessitated surgery, the 37-year-old Spanish player missed almost the whole previous season. He made a temporary comeback to the field for three games in early January, but he later tore a muscle near his hip. He hasn’t played on tour since having to skip the Australian Open as a result of that.
After losing in qualifying, Sumit Nagal claimed the vacant position in the bracket and was supposed to play 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic in the first round on Thursday night. For now, though, the world will have to wait to find out when it will get to see Rafael Nadal play again.
“As you are all aware, I took a test this past weekend, but despite my best efforts and preparation, I don’t think I’m ready to play at my best at such a significant occasion.”
Rafael Nadal
With 92 tour-level singles titles under his belt, over 1,000 match wins, over $130 million in prize money, and Olympic gold medals in both singles and doubles, he has achieved nearly everything in tennis. Not to mention endorsements.
But ever since he injured his hip flexor in a 2023 Australian Open second-round match, Rafael Nadal has made it clear he is not prepared to give up on the game he co-dominated for extended periods of time with rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
He has been especially interested in going back to his favorite French Open, where he has won a record 14 titles, and in making one final appearance at the Summer Games, which are being held in Paris this year with tennis being hosted by Roland Garros.
