We thought the Spaniard was free of his physical problems. Returning to Brisbane after almost a year of absence, since the 2023 edition of the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal took his time to return physically ready for what could be one of his last years on the circuit. After two rather convincing matches, the 37-year-old Mallorcan was once again let down by his body. Victim of a micro tear on the top of his left thigh, the former world number 1 has unfortunately been accustomed to physical problems since the start of his career. A look back at 21 years of career punctuated by injuries.
May 2003: a first elbow injury
Two years after his professional debut, Nadal experienced his first physical problems which forced him to give up participating in Roland-Garros, a tournament he would win 14 times: an elbow injury caused in training.
April 2004: a left foot causing many problems
Aged 18, Nadal beat Richard Gasquet at the Estoril tournament despite a fractured scaphoid in his left foot, but then withdrew from Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. The beginnings of a long series of foot injuries that would handicap him throughout his career.
August 2009: tendonitis in the knees
Winner of Wimbledon in 2008 after a memorable final against Roger Federer (6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7), the Spaniard cannot defend his title on the London turf this year. following, due to persistent tendonitis in both knees.
September 2009: abs
Barely recovered from his tendinitis in his knees, Nadal played at the US Open, where he was eliminated in the semi-final by Del Potro (6-2, 6-2, 6-2), but admitted suffering from an abdominal tear.
Rafael Nadal greets Del Potro after the semi-finale of the US Open in 2009.
Credit: Getty Images
July 2012: tendinitis in the left knee
Forfeited for the London Olympic Games while he is the reigning Olympic champion, Nadal also gives up playing the US Open, being in trouble with his left knee.
January 2014: hit in the back, he fails against Wawrinka
Reduced by a back injury, he nevertheless reached the final of the Australian Open, but lost against the Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka. An injury which damaged the Mallorcan later in his career.
July 2014: right wrist
Hit in the right wrist at the end of July, Nadal withdrew from Toronto then Cincinnati, before also giving up the US Open.
Rafael Nadal could miss the entire American tour after his right wrist injury
Credit: Panoramic
May 2016: a left wrist injury rules him out of Roland-Garros
Already titled nine times at Roland Garros but remaining with a defeat in the quarter-finals in 2015 against Novak Djokovic, Nadal was forced to withdraw before his third round match against his compatriot Marcel Granollers due to a tendon injury of the left wrist.
February 2021: hit on the back again
The year 2021 got off to a bad start for Nadal, who postponed his planned return to the ATP Cup because of his back pain and immediately lost in the quarter-final at the Australian Open against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
August 2021: left foot and operation
Suffering again from his left foot, the Majorcan ends his 2021 season early, and explains that he has been suffering from Müller-Weiss syndrome for years. This rare pathology affects one of the bones in his left foot, causing chronic pain. He had surgery in September.
The following year, it was under infiltration that he nevertheless managed to win a 22nd Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. Victim of the unbearable awakening of the pain linked to his chronic and incurable injury to his left foot in May 2022, the Spaniard is present a few days later near Porte d’Auteuil. He won the tournament for the 14th time by undergoing “anesthetic injections” before each match. On the evening of his title, however, he admitted that he was not ready to start the experience again: “It is obvious that I cannot and that I do not want to continue playing in these circumstances”.
March 2022: Cracked coastline at Indian Wells
Winner of his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final of Indian Wells, Nadal lost in the final against the American Taylor Fritz 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). He then missed several tournaments including Monte-Carlo due to a cracked rib during the California tournament.
July 2022: abs
Victim of an abdominal tear, Nadal dominated despite Fritz’s pain in the quarter-final of Wimbledon, but finally threw in the towel the next day, giving up playing his semi-final against Nick Kyrgios. “It makes no sense to play if I want to continue my career,” he declared, already worried by the signals sent by his body for some time.
Rafael Nadal, injured in the abdominals during Wimbledon 2022.
Credit: Getty Images
After his premature exit at the Australian Open in the second round, Nadal explains that he is suffering from a hip. “It hurts, as always. But now the cup is starting to be full and there will be a moment when it will overflow,” said the Spaniard at a press conference. If he had initially announced a convalescence of six to eight weeks, the Mallorcan will ultimately be absent from the circuit until January 2024 and his return to Brisbane.
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January 2024: relapse in the thigh
Before getting injured again during his third singles match of the week, against Australian Jordan Thompson. His micro tear forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open. And leaves all Rafa Nadal lovers waiting for the rest of the Spaniard’s season.
2024-01-07 23:13:17
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