Rafael Nadal has said he will be out for “four to six weeks” after confirming that the breathing difficulties he suffered in Sunday’s Indian Wells final defeat to Taylor Fritz were caused by a stress fracture in one of his ribs.
Nadal experienced pain when breathing and dizziness during the final as his winning start to the season came to an end at 20 matches. The world No. 3 will now miss the start of the clay court season in what is a blow to his French Open preparations ahead of the second major of the year in late May.
