Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Australian Open in heartbreaking scenes for tennis fans.
Nadal, 37, revealed that he suffered ‘a small problem’ during his three-set defeat to Jordan Thompson in Brisbane on Friday night and as a result is unable to ‘compete at the maximum level’ in Melbourne.
‘Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried,’ he said in a statement on Twitter.
‘Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have 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 in 5 sets matches. I’m flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest.’
Tennis fans were excited at the prospect of Nadal returning to the main stage after almost a year out of action. The 37-year-old suffered a career-threatening hip injury which required surgery and left many outsiders fearful for his tennis future.
The Spaniard had made an emphatic return in Brisbane with stunning victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler, before Friday’s quarter final loss to Thompson.
Nadal had outlined his ambitions for a farewell tour in 2024, but this latest injury setback presents a major obstacle to those plans.
‘I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in 3 months,’ he added.
‘Within the sad news for me for not being able to play in front of the amazing Melbourne crowds, this is not very bad news and we all remain positive with the evolution for the season.
‘I really wanted to play here in Australia and I have had the chance to play a few matches that made me very happy and positive. Thanks all for the support and see you soon! Rafa.’
