Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal announced on Sunday that he will not participate in the Australian Open, the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the current season, due to a slight muscle tear. This injury followed his return to the courts after a long absence and his participation in the Brisbane International tournament last week.
After being absent for nearly a year due to a thigh injury sustained during the second round of last year's Australian Open, the 37-year-old Nadal returned to play at the Brisbane International as part of his preparation for the Australian Open. He missed the rest of the 2023 season due to the injury and underwent surgery in June, and experienced a problem with his left leg during his defeat to Jordan Thompson in the quarter-finals at Brisbane.
In a statement via X (formerly Twitter), the 22-time Grand Slam winner said, "During my last match in Brisbane, I had a small problem with a muscle that made me worried." He added, "Once I got to Melbourne, I had the chance to undergo an MRI and I have a micro tear in a muscle, not in the same area where I had the surgery, and that’s good news. Right now, I am not ready to compete at the highest level in five-set matches. I will return to Spain to visit my doctor for treatment and to get some rest."
