2024-01-07 12:15:02
Returning to the courts last week after a year of absence, the Spanish legend announced this Sunday January 7 that he was suffering from a “micro muscle tear”.
It’s the classic little annoyance when starting back after a major injury. Rafael Nadal withdrew this Sunday, January 7 from the Australian Open, due to a “micro muscle tear”, less than a week after his return to the courts at the Brisbane tournament which ended a year of absence.
“At the moment, I am not ready to play five-set matches at the maximum level of demand. I am going back to Spain to see my doctor, get treatment and rest,” he said on his social networks, two days after his quarter-final defeat in Brisbane.
Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried. 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… pic.twitter.com/WpApfzjf3C— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 7, 2024
During this match lasting more than three hours against the Australian Jordan Thompson (55th in the world), the 37-year-old Spanish star felt muscular discomfort in his left thigh at the end of the match. “Once I arrived in Melbourne, I had the chance to do an MRI and I have a micro muscle tear, but not in the same area where I had already had an injury and that is good news” , he explained.
“I have worked very hard throughout the year for this comeback and, as I have always said, my goal is to be at my best level in three months,” he continued.
The former world number 1 with 22 Grand Slam titles, falling to 672nd place after his long interruption, had not played singles since his defeat in the second round of the Australian Open on January 18, 2023, handicapped by a hip injury.
After two operations and months of rehabilitation, the Majorcan made his return on Tuesday January 2 in the first round in Brisbane, easily dismissing the Austrian Dominic Thiem (7-5, 6-1). He then swept aside Australian Jason Kubler, 102nd in the world (6-1, 6-2), on Thursday before stopping in the quarter.
“Even if I am sad not to be able to play in front of the incredible crowd in Melbourne, it is not very bad news and we all remain positive about the evolution of the season,” wanted to reassure Nadal. There are still a few months left for the “ogre of Manacor” to recover before hoping to devour Roland-Garros and the tennis events of the Paris Olympics.
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