BRISBANE. Australia By Emiliano Naftali
Rafael Nadal has opted to withdraw from the Australian Open following an injury sustained at the Brisbane International, where he suffered a defeat against Australia’s Jordan Thompson.
Nadal disclosed the news on X, revealing that an MRI in Melbourne confirmed a “micro” muscle tear. He stated that he would promptly return to Spain for treatment, expressing some uncertainty about his condition and the need to assess how he felt in the coming days.
His aspirations of participating in the Grand Slam he secured in 2022 have now been dashed, triggering speculation about his future. This setback follows a challenging recovery period of almost a year from a hip injury that necessitated surgery in 2023. The 37-year-old’s ability to maintain a positive outlook remains uncertain.
While Nadal conveyed optimism, he had admitted to the media earlier in the week that, following the surgery and rehabilitation in 2023, there were moments when he contemplated retiring from professional tennis.
“During my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried,” Nadal posted to social media.
Nadal said best of five sets matches were beyond him at this stage of his recovery but he remained upbeat.
“Within the sad news for me for not being able to play in front of the amazing Melbourne crowds, this is not very bad news and we all remain positive with the evolution for the season,” he said.
“I really wanted to play here in Australia and I have had the chance to play a few matches that made me very happy and positive.”