On Sunday (Jan 7), Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Australian Open 2024 edition, which gets underway on Jan 14 in Melbourne. Nadal suffered an injury during the Brisbane International during his quarter-final loss to Jordan Thompson. During the encounter, he suffered a muscle injury which dented his return ahead of the calendar year’s first-ever Grand Slam event. The former world number one had recently made his competitive return to tennis in the Brisbane tournament after spending around a year away with an injury. In the 2023 Australian Open, Nadal suffered from a hip flexor problem and had been away since.

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Nadal said in an emotional Instagram post, “Once I got to Melbourne, I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news. Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level of exigence in 5 set-matches. Therefore I’m flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest.”

“I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in 3 months,” the 37-year-old added.

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After Nadal’s withdrawal, his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz reacted to his non-participation in the forthcoming Aus Open. Alcaraz wrote on Nadal’s Instagram post, “We are waiting for you in the next Rafa tournament! Get well soon!”

With no Nadal, world number one Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz, etc. will be the top contenders to win the upcoming Grand Slam Down Under. In the last edition, Djokovic won the title; claiming his tenth triumph in the tournament history. 

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