Spanish legend Rafael Nadal may never play in Australia again after withdrawing from this year’s Australian Open with a new injury.
Nadal, who had not played since last year’s Australian Open because of a hip injury before returning in Brisbane last week, announced on Sunday night he was out of the Melbourne grand slam.
Rafael Nadal is out of the Australian Open.Credit: Getty Images
The 22-time grand slam champion and former world No.1 revealed in May last year that the 2024 season would “probably” be his last but has backtracked slightly on that across the past week.
“During my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a [leg] muscle that, as you know, made me worried,” Nadal tweeted.
“Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have [a] micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news. Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level of exigence [sic] in 5 sets matches. I’m flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest.”
Australia’s Jordan Thompson upset Nadal, 37, in three sets in the Brisbane International quarter-finals after the Spaniard beat Dominic Thiem and another Australian, Jason Kubler, in his first two matches.
More to come.
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