Rafael Nadal He chose to find the positive side to the muscle tear in his hip that will prevent him from competing in the Australian Open and will prolong his absence from the tennis courts for more than a year, since the injury was not in the same part of the hip that he injured in Melbourne last January and that required him to undergo surgery last June.
At least, as explained by the champion of 22 tournaments Grand Slamcan still focus on his big goal of 2024, which is still getting ready to be a legitimate contender for the title. French Open in clay, his favorite surface.
“This is not bad news,” Nadal insisted, indicating that he was not in a position to perform at his best at Melbourne Park, where he has become champion twice and where the first Slam of the year starts next Sunday. “We all remain positive with the evolution of the season.”
This should be a consolation to his followers. But several foolish questions remain about what all this may mean for his future in the sport. And several of those questions are the same ones people were asking in 2023.
In a very touching moment, Nadal cried alongside his rival and friend Roger Federer when they formed a doubles pair at the 2022 Laver Cup, Federer’s last competition. As it was in almost all of 2023, Novak Djokovicthe other member of the Big Three, will continue to be the last one fighting.
“We will miss you in Melbourne, Rafa. We send you all our love and best wishes for a speedy recovery,” the Australian Open said on its social networks. “We’ll see you soon on the slopes.”
This Australian Open will be the fourth major in a row that the Spaniard has missed since he was injured in the second round in Melbourne in January 2023. He had not played for 12 months until he took to the court in Brisbane last week and raised his score to 15. Grand Slam tournaments in which he is absent either due to injury or illness.
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2024-01-09 05:10:57
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