Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam winner, made the decision to withdraw from the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday. This tournament was anticipated to mark his ATP Tour comeback.
Nadal's withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters comes as a disappointment to tennis fans who were eager to witness his return to competitive play.
"Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won't allow me," said the 37-year-old Spaniard on social media.
Nadal, the record 11-time Monte Carlo winner, faced significant challenges in the 2023 season due to injury, causing him to miss virtually all of the year's competitions.
In the current season, Nadal's return to competitive play has been limited. He participated in the Brisbane International, where he experienced a flare-up of a hip injury that had been bothering him.
Following his appearance in Brisbane, Nadal competed in a Las Vegas exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz in March, but experienced another setback.
Subsequently, he made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Indian Wells Masters, where he had initially planned to make his official comeback to the ATP Tour.
"Even if I am working hard and making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can't play today," Nadal continued.
"You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events.
"The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better."
(With AFP inputs)
