Rafael Nadal to miss French Open due to injury, could retire in 2024

Rafael Nadal has announced he will not be playing the French Open, which starts 28 May, with the left hip flexor injury not recovering in time. This will be the first time Nadal will miss the French Open since winning the first of his record 14 titles on debut in 2005. The former World No 1 added 2024 could “probably” be the last year of his glorious career if the injuries continue to play a role. “I’ll look to be 100% ready for next year, which I believe will be the last year of my professional career,” Nadal said in a press conference at his academy.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion said he will take couple of months off to give his body time to recover. It means he will miss Wimbledon, US Open and has targeted the Davis Cup team event. “I’ll not establish a date for my return. I’ll see how my body responds and take it from there … if I can come back until the end of the year for the Davis Cup.” “If I keep playing at this moment, I don’t think I can be there next year… to be able to play the tournaments that I want to say goodbye to those who have supported me. “The evolution of the injury I sustained in Australia has not gone as I would have liked. I have lost goals along the way, and Roland Garros becomes impossible. “At this moment, I won’t be able to be at Roland Garros. With what that tournament is for me, you can imagine how difficult it is.” With Nadal’s injury and absence from French Open, his place in the men’s draw will be taken by 2018 and 2019 finalist Dominic Thiem. Nadal has been out of action since January picking up the injury during the Australian Open where he bowed out in the second round. Nadal lost to Mackenzie McDonald in Melbourne where his movement was restricted due to the hip injury. It was Nadal’s earliest Grand Slam exit since 2016. Day after, an MRI exam revealed the extent of the injury with Rafa expected out for two months. He initially aimed to return at Monte Carlo in March but has missed all clay court preparatory tournaments since (Barcelona, Madrid and Rome). Nadal is 1-3 this season and has just two wins out of nine matches going back to the previous season. The Spaniard holds a jaw-dropping 112-3 win-loss record at the Paris clay court tournament across 18 appearance. It is a level of dominance unmatched by any man or woman at any Grand Slam event. Two of the defeats have come against Novak Djokovic in 2015 and 2021. The other was to Robin Soderling in 2009. Last year, Nadal became the oldest men’s champion in tournament history at 36 years old. Miraculously, he did so while dealing with a chronic foot pain. “I played with no feeling in the foot, with a pain-killing injection in the nerve. The foot was asleep, and that’s why I was able to play,” he said at the time. He then underwent treatment which would involve burning the nerves in his foot to permanently dull the pain. Weeks later, his dream of a third Wimbledon title ended in a semi-final withdrawal with to an abdominal strain. Out of top-10 Nadal’s lengthy absence from the tour saw him drop out of the world’s top-10 for the first time in 18 years. With the lengthy absence to come, Nadal would likely fall out of the top-100 ranked players.

Muchísimo ánimo Rafa! ❤️ Muy doloroso y triste para todos que no puedas estar en Roland Garros ni jugar más este año, pero deseando que 2024 sea una gran temporada para ti y puedas despedirte como el gran campeón que eres! 🤝🏻 @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/KIfVSnRRS7

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) May 18, 2023

Djokovic, who shares the men’s record of 22 major titles with Nadal, will start as French Open favourite this year alongside World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz who is desperate not to see his Spanish compatriot throw in the towel. “Let’s hope he continues to play for a long time and that we can enjoy his tennis,” said Alcaraz, the 20-year-old heir apparent to Nadal’s throne. Read all the  Latest News ****,  Trending News ****,  Cricket News ****,  Bollywood News ****,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook****,  Twitter and  Instagram****.