Rafael Nadal’s injury sustained at the Brisbane international during a match against Australia’s Jordan Thompson has forced him to retire from the Australian Open.
Nadal announced on X that he would be heading back to Spain right away for treatment after an MRI in Melbourne verified a “micro” tear to his muscle.
In the last set of his quarterfinal loss to Thompson, Nadal had an injury timeout and found it difficult to switch to his backhand side.
The 37-year-old expressed anxiety about the procedure, saying he would have to wait and see how he felt in a few days. Now that his dream of winning the slam he did in 2022 is gone, new concerns regarding his future will surely surface.
Rafael Nadal interacted through Social Media
Nadal wrote on social media, “I had a small problem with a muscle during my last match in Brisbane that, as you know, made me worried.”
Even though he was over a best-of-five set match at this point in his recuperation, Rafael Nadal maintained his positive attitude.
“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 of the season,” he stated.
“I wanted to play here in Australia, and I have had the chance to play a few matches that have made me very happy and positive.” It remains to be seen how positive he can stay.
Nadal told the media earlier this week that during his surgery and rehabilitation in 2023, he had moments when he thought about giving up tennis, despite his statements that he was staying optimistic.
Before the Brisbane tournament, Rafael Nadal stated, “I was not able to have a normal life and enjoy playing golf or doing the normal things that I like to do with my friends or with my family.”
Upon returning to the court, Rafael Nadal looked excellent initially and made an impression in a few drills with other elite tennis players.
He elevated his game when he was given a standing ovation after defeating fellow slam champion Dominic Thiem in the first round in Brisbane and then defeating Jason Kubler of Australia before falling to Thompson.
His absence puts the Australian Open in an intriguing predicament, lacking one of its greatest draws in Novak Djokovic, the 2023 winner, who is also sidelined by wrist issues.
