,type=downsize)
Rafael Nadal is not ready to step on the court after injuring his leg on January 18th. The Spanish tennis star was set to compete at the Monte Carlo Masters tournament, which begins on Saturday, April 8th, but has pulled out.
Nadal took to Instagram Tuesday to announce he is “still not prepared to compete at the highest level.” “So I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo,” he wrote, disappointed. The athlete says he hopes to compete soon. “Unfortunately I am not yet able to play with maximum guarantees and I continue my process of recovery and preparation, hoping to return to competition soon,” Rafa added.
He shared a similar message on his Instagram story calling Monte Carlo a “special tournament” he’s always loved to play. “Monte Carlo is and has been a key event in my career, but unfortunately I will have to miss it again since I am still not ready to compete without the risk of getting injured. I’ll continue the long process of getting ready to come back.”
Nadal, who recently held the first edition of the Rafa Nadal Foundation Awards, had his fans worried that he was announcing his retirement.
“You scared the s**t out of me I thought that post was something like this will be your last Monte Carlo or something like that when I saw the pic,” one user wrote.
Others think he is getting ready to retire and wants to make sure he is in tip-top shape for one final blowout. “My gut telling he’s preparing best so that he can have the best possibility to win in one big tournament then retire,” commented another.
Nadal injured his leg at the Australian Open second-round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald and has not returned to the court since. “Good afternoon. I have carried out medical tests after the defeat yesterday,” the 36-year-old revealed after his exit. “The MRI shows a grade 2 lesion in the iliopsoas of my left leg. Now it’s sports rest and anti-inflammatory physiotherapy. Normal recovery time six to eight weeks.”
The 22-time Grand Slam winner has skipped tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami.