Tennis player Rafael Nadal announced this Thursday that he will not participate in the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells. The announcement came just three days after the Spaniard participated in the exhibition against Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas. In his speech, he stated that he is not prepared to return because he does not feel competitive.
His debut was scheduled for this Thursday, at 11pm (BrasÃlia time), against Canadian rival Milos Raonic, current number 224 in the ATP rankings. The withdrawal opened the place for Indian Sumit Nagal.
“It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this incredible tournament. Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love playing here at Indian Wells. This is also one of the reasons why I arrived in the desert very early to practice and try to get prepare”.
Through the tournament’s official statement, Nadal spoke of the time he dedicated to adequate preparation and admitted that missing Indian Wells was not in his plans.
“I’ve been working hard and training hard. You all know I had a tryout this weekend, but I’m not ready to play at the highest level in such an important event.
It’s not an easy decision, it’s difficult, actually, but I can’t lie to myself and lie to thousands of fans,” added the tennis player.
In a farewell tone, he ended the announcement by wishing to see a great competition and also sent a message to the fans. “I will miss you all and I’m sure the tournament will be a great success,” he said.
Tournament director, Tommy Haas completed the announcement by confessing his sadness at not having, among the participants, a tennis player of Rafael Nadal’s level.
“We are disappointed that Rafa will not be able to play. But we hope he continues to recover and hope he can return soon. He is a fan favorite and we look forward to having him at Indian Wells in the future.”