The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal on Thursday announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Monte-Carlo Masters, confirming that his body will force him to miss the tournament.
The 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters will be held from April 7-14 at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Nadal spent a year on the sideline after suffering an injury at the 2023 Australian Open, but the Spaniard made his return to competitive tennis in Brisbane this January after a hip flexor injury.
He missed on Australian Open after sustaining another muscle tear. The 37-year-old confirmed on social media that his body was still not up to the rigours of top-flight tennis.
“Hi all, these are very difficult moments for me, sporting wise. Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte-Carlo. My body simply won’t allow me. And even if I am working hard & making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can’t play today,” Nadal wrote on X.
“You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events. The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better,” he added.
The lefty, an 11-time Monte-Carlo champion, ended his post with a message to his fans. He wrote: “Thanks again to all, as always, for all the support and best wishes!”
Due to his extraordinary performance at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Nadal has established himself as the unchallenged ruler of the Principality. At the ATP Masters 1000 event, the 37-year-old accomplished a rare feat: winning more titles than losing matches in one tournament. With an 11-time Monte-Carlo champion, Nadal has a 73-6 overall tournament record, which includes a 46-match winning streak from 2005 to 2013.
