Rafael Nadal is considering a new comeback tournament after being forced to withdraw from the Monte-Carlo Masters. Since being injured in January, the Spaniard has not played in an official match. But he is now scheduled to go to his next tournament on Wednesday, hoping to make a comeback on the clay.
Nadal’s recovery was halted when he suffered a minor muscle tear during his Brisbane quarterfinal at the start of the year. Since then, he has pulled out of the Australian Open, Qatar Open, Indian Wells, and Monte-Carlo Masters.
The 37-year-old stated his body wouldn’t “allow” him to compete in Monte Carlo this week, despite continuing to train in the hopes of playing further tournaments on clay, his most successful surface. And now that his travel intentions have been known, Nadal might return to action as early as next week.
According to SER Deportivos, the 22-time Grand Slam champion will go to Barcelona on Wednesday ahead of the ATP 500 event, which runs from April 15 to 21, when he hopes to make his return.
So far, Nadal’s stomach concerns have kept him from competing. As a result, the 37-year-old is claimed to be suffering, particularly with his serving. He recently told Movistar, “I’m still trying, but the situation is complicated.”
“I go day by day, I don’t rule out anything, I don’t rule out being in Barcelona next week or being in Madrid.” Nadal has not played a clay-court tournament since earning a record-breaking 14th victory at the French Open in 2022.
His last appearance in the Barcelona Open was three years ago, when he won the title by saving a match point against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the tournament’s longest final. The Spaniard missed Barcelona and the entire clay season last year after suffering a left psoas injury at the Australian Open.
He attempted to return to the clay, but ultimately abandoned his aspirations, terminating his 2023 season and getting surgery. He also skipped Monte Carlo and Barcelona in 2022 after injuring his ribs in Indian Wells.
It will be extremely special if Nadal returns to the Barcelona Open, considering the tournament’s main court is named after him, and he has won the title 12 times.
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