Hard blow for Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard announced on Tuesday (April 4) that he would not play the clay-court tournament in Monte-Carlo (April 9-16), explaining on Twitter that he had not recovered enough from the left leg injury that left him has been away from the courts for two and a half months. The Spanish player's package for the first big tournament of the European season on clay casts doubt on his presence at the French Open, at Roland-Garros (from May 28 to June 11), which he has won 14 times, last year.
"I'm not ready to compete at the highest level yet, I won't be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte-Carlo", writes the ex-world number one, who has fallen to 14th place of the ATP ranking.
Nadal, 36, has not played competitively since losing the Australian Open second round on January 18 to American Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets. He had felt a sharp pain in the second set but had gone to the end of the match when he had the greatest difficulty in moving. Nadal had then estimated between six and eight weeks the duration of his unavailability, drawing a line under the American Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. Nor will he be able to defend his chances at the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo, which he has won 11 times.
The Spaniard has been accumulating physical problems since his 14th crown at Roland-Garros in the spring of 2022, where he triumphed despite an anesthetized left foot to contain the pain caused by the chronic illness he has suffered from since the age of 18 (syndrome of Muller-Weiss). An abdominal tear, in particular, had then forced him to give up playing his semi-final at Wimbledon a month later. His long absence from the courts knocked him out of the top 10 of the world rankings on March 20 for the first time since April 2005.
Another Spaniard was forced to forfeit the Monte-Carlo tournament. Carlos Alcaraz also announced on Tuesday that he would not play the competition, giving up like Rafael Nadal at the start of the European clay season.
"After seeing my doctor, Dr Lopez Martinez, in Murcia today (Tuesday), I will not be able to go to Monte Carlo to kick off the clay court season," wrote the world number two. Alcaraz, who turns 20 on May 5, said on his Twitter account that he suffers from post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and muscle discomfort in his back "which require rest to prepare for whatever is yet to come. come ".
After two months abroad, I am happy to return home but sad because I finished my last match in Miami with physical discomfort. After visiting my doctor @drlopezmartinez in Murcia today and being evaluated, I will not be able to go to Monte Carlo to start the clay court tour. pic.twitter.com/UsJzejm1WC
