“I am sad not to be able to play in Indian Wells or Miami. I hope to see my American fans later in the season during the summer tour” in the United States, tweeted Nadal, who explains “preparing to return to the best conditions”.
The Californian tournament had formalized the Spaniard’s package in Indian Wells a little earlier.
The former world No.1 today No.8 had estimated his absence at six to eight weeks the day after his elimination in the second round of the Australian Open in mid-January. The cause: an injury to the iliopsoas muscle of the left leg.
Beyond this injury, the 36-year-old Majorcan, overtaken by Novak Djokovic in the number of Grand Slam titles (22), has had physical problems since his fourteenth coronation at Roland-Garros last spring, where he had triumphed despite a left foot anesthetized to contain the pain caused by the chronic illness from which he has suffered since he was 18 (Müller-Weiss syndrome). An abdominal tear in particular had forced him to give up playing his semi-final at Wimbledon a month later.
From his elimination in the round of 16 of the US Open in September to the start of the 2023 season, Nadal then had a series of six defeats in seven matches, in Paris, at the Masters and in the United Cup, a new mixed tournament on the calendar. . His only victory came from a game without stake in the group stage of the Masters, against the Norwegian Casper Ruud.
The Spaniard with 22 Grand Slam trophies, who was seen training on clay at his academy in Mallorca on Monday according to the Spanish press, is likely to be aiming for a return to competition in Monte Carlo in early April, on his darling surface, if her body allows it.
Nadal reached the final in Indian Wells a year ago. He lost there, already physically diminished then, against the American Taylor Fritz. His absence in 2023 could cost him his place in the top 10.
He won in the Californian desert in 2007, 2009 and 2013.
© 2023 AFP