By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, February 15, 2024
Rafael Nadal’s comeback will not occur in Doha.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has formally withdrawn from subsequent week’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open.
Former world No. 1 Nadal, who is continuous his restoration from a micro tear in his hip muscle, stated he isn’t able to return to the Tour.
“I’d have liked to play in Doha, the place the event workforce, in addition to the wonderful Qatar followers have at all times supported me enormously. Sadly I’m not able to compete,” Nadal posted at present on X, the platform previously Twitter.
I’d have liked to play in Doha, the place the event workforce, in addition to the wonderful Qatar followers have at all times supported me enormously. Sadly I’m not able to compete and I gained’t be capable to come to Doha the place I actually wished to be and play once more after that unforgettable win… pic.twitter.com/U4GUvIITcr
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) February 14, 2024
As an alternative of launching his comeback within the Doha desert, Nadal is assured of constructing his return at subsequent month’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
The season’s first Masters 1000 event is ready for March 6-Seventeenth on the Indian Wells Tennis Backyard. Nadal is a three-time indian Wells champion, who defeated Juan Martin del Potro within the 2013 remaining to seize his third Palm Springs championship.
The 2-time Olympic gold-medal champion, who knocked off Nick Kyrgios and Carlos Alcaraz en path to the 2022 Indian Wells remaining the place he fell to Taylor Fritz, suggests this could be his remaining time to shine in Tennis Paradise.
“I’m one hundred pc assured of being in Indian Wells, it’s a really particular event for me,” Nadal instructed La Sexta tv. “I don’t know if it’s going to be the final time I play in it, so I want to be in Indian Wells, for positive.”
Picture credit score: Andy Cheung/Getty