Rafael Nadal: The clay court king will have to wait
RafaelNadal 's return to the tennis tour is further delayed. After his hip flexor injury, the Spaniard misses the big opener of the European clay court season in Monte Carlo.
by SID
last edit:
Apr 04, 2023, 05:58 pm
In Monte Carlo it starts now, his time in the tennis year, but Rafael Nadal is not ready yet. Not yet ready for the rock-hard duels on his beloved ashes, not yet ready for the young, powerful competition. The Spanish clay court king is absent from the big start of the European clay court season - as is his designated heir to the throne: shooting star Carlos Alcaraz.
The hip flexor injury, which Nadal has been slowing down since the Australian Open in Melbourne in mid-January, makes him hesitate. The 36-year-old doesn't want to return too soon, doesn't want to risk another injury and will therefore "not be able to play one of the most important tournaments of my career, in Monte Carlo."
Nadal needs time
In the fine club on the border to the principality, which will host the tennis elite from the weekend, Nadal has triumphed eleven times. He then crowned himself ruler of Roland Garros nine times at the height of the sand season. The French Open (from May 28th) is his big goal again this year, but Nadal still needs time to get in the shape he needs for a chance at his 15th title in Paris.
He now wants to continue his preparation for the comeback, Nadal said. Become more stable, build up the battered body for the hour-long arguments on sand. He is not alone with his plan, the Masters in Monte Carlo also comes too early for Alcaraz. The 19-year-old US Open champion, who lost the lead in the world rankings to Novak Djokovic after his semi-final in Miami, suffers from "post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and muscular problems in the spine," as he tweeted communicated.
Enough time
The two Spaniards still have time to get used to the highest level before Roland Garros, and there are more Masters tournaments in Madrid and Rome. However, it is not yet clear how long Alcaraz will have to pause, and only he and his closest circle know when Nadal is aiming for his comeback.
However, Djokovic, two-time Monaco winner Stefanos Tsitsipas or Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, who wants to find his way back to his old class on sand, cannot breathe a sigh of relief. Also in 2022 Nadal decided against the trip to Monte Carlo - and triumphed a little later in Roland Garros.