Rafael Nadal’s chances of making an impression on the clay court season appeared to be hanging by a thread when he withdrew from this week’s Monte Carlo Masters due to a back condition, but he has provided a surprise upbeat injury update, indicating he may be back in action sooner than expected.
Nadal has been out of action since suffering a muscular injury in Brisbane in January, and the 37-year-old has admitted on social media that he is still not ready to return.
“These are very difficult moments for me, sporting wise,” Nadal, who has won the Monte Carlo crown 11 times, tweeted on his social media sites after withdrawing from the tournament.
“Unfortunately, I will not be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won’t let me.
“And even though I work hard and give my all every day with the desire to play and compete in tournaments that have been extremely important to me, the truth is that I am unable to play today.
“You have no clue how difficult it is for me not to be able to play in these tournaments.
“The only thing I can do is accept the circumstance and attempt to focus on the immediate future with excitement and a desire to play in order to give myself an opportunity to improve.
“Thanks again to all, as always, for all the support and best wishes!”
That announcement generated rumours that Nadal would be forced to withdraw from the forthcoming clay court competitions in his native Spain, where tournaments in Barcelona and Madrid are quickly approaching.
However, the 22-time Grand Slam winner has fueled hopes that he may play in both tournaments after publishing this update on his social media website.
“Hello from Barcelona,” he wrote beside a photo of himself fitting a new grip on his racket.
“First training session…hoping to be here before the tournament starts.”
“I’m here to see how it goes, with the desire to play.” I will tell you about it.
It is crucial to note that I do not wish to confirm that I will play; nonetheless, I hope to. “We’ll see.”
It was not a message that provided convincing proof that Nadal was ready to return, but it did indicate that his newest injury problem is not as bad as initially thought.
While travelling the relatively short distance to Barcelona does not indicate Nadal’s fitness, it is evident that he is still hoping to compete in what could be his final ATP Tour event on Spanish soil.
The back condition that kept him from playing in Monte Carlo was impacting his service motion, and it’s difficult to believe that the problem has been addressed in the few days after he withdrew from this week’s Masters 1000 matches.
However, the possibility of playing in front of his Spanish supporters for the final time will be extremely appealing to a player who has stated that he intends to retire from tennis in 2024.
Many would point out that Nadal has reached this position in his preparations to compete in the Qatar Open, Indian Wells Masters, and Monte Carlo tournaments, only to withdraw at the last minute.
Now, Nadal’s legions of admirers across the world will be hoping that this favourable injury report is not another false dawn.
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