Rafael Nadal Withdraws From Australian Open As New Injury Puts Comeback On Hold

LOADING ERROR LOADING MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal’s comeback from hip surgery is on hold after he withdrew from the Australian Open with an injury a week before the start of the season’s first Grand Slam tournament. The 22 time major champion said Sunday on social media that medical tests he took in Melbourne revealed a small tear in a hip muscle and he would fly home to Spain for treatment.

Advertisement The 37 year old Nadal has won the Australian Open twice — in 2009 and 2022 — and his absence will leave this year’s event without what had been expected to be one of its main storylines. It was a year ago at Melbourne Park that Nadal hurt his hip flexor during a second round loss to Mackie McDonald, then missed the rest of the season.

The former No. 1 ranked player’s career has been marked by a series of injuries, including to his knees, left foot and left wrist, perhaps connected to his punishing style of play. via Associated Press Nadal had an operation in June and his return to the tour after nearly 12 months away came last week in Brisbane.

After winning two matches, the left hander took a medical timeout during the third set of a quarterfinal loss to Jordan Thompson on Friday. “Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried,” Nadal wrote Sunday. “Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news.

Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level.” Advertisement The former No. 1 ranked player’s career has been marked by a series of injuries, including to his knees, left foot and left wrist, perhaps connected to his punishing style of play. “A lot of things can be happening in a body like my body after a year without playing tennis,” he said.

The loss to Thompson was Nadal’s third match in four nights and lasted nearly 3 1/2 hours, following straight set victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler . Since arriving in Australia to begin the season, Nadal sounded like someone lowering expectations for what he might achieve during the tour’s swing through the country.

He made clear that his focus was to be fit for the clay court season and the French Open, which begins in May and where he has won a record 14 championships. “I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in 3 months,” he wrote Sunday.

Advertisement “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,” Nadal said. The Australian Open begins on Jan. 14 — the first time it is starting on a Sunday, instead of a Monday — and, according to FanDuel Sportsbook , top ranked Novak Djokovic is favored to add to his record totals of 24 Grand Slam trophies and 10 titles at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic dealt with his own health issue recently, bothered by a sore right wrist during the United Cup in Australia last week. Support HuffPost The Stakes Have Never Been Higher At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions.

That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact checked news that is freely accessible to everyone. Our News, Politics and Culture teams invest time and care working on hard hitting investigations and researched analyses, along with quick but robust daily takes. Our Life, Health and Shopping desks provide you with well researched, expert vetted information you need to live your best life, while HuffPost Personal, Voices and Opinion center real stories from real people.

Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way. At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way. As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. A vibrant democracy is impossible without well informed citizens. This is why HuffPost's journalism is free for everyone, not just those who can afford expensive paywalls.

We cannot do this without your help. Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month. As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a vibrant democracy is impossible without well informed citizens. This is why we keep our journalism free for everyone, even as most other newsrooms have retreated behind expensive paywalls.

Our newsroom continues to bring you hard hitting investigations, well researched analysis and timely takes on one of the most consequential elections in recent history. Reporting on the current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly — and we need your help. Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.

Support HuffPost Related Tennis Australian Open rafael nadal LEAVE A COMMENT Suggest a correction Do you have info to share with HuffPost reporters? Here’s how. Go to Homepage Popular in the Community FROM OUR PARTNER.