Will we see Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros this year? The horizon is getting darker from week to week for the Mallorcan tennis player, 14-time winner of the Parisian Grand Slam tournament (which will take place from May 26 to June 9). The Spaniard announced, Thursday April 4, his withdrawal from the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo, which begins Sunday and opens the season on clay.
The former world number 1, down to 649th, is still not physically ready. “Unfortunately, I have to tell you that I am not going to play in Monte Carlo. Simply, my body doesn’t allow it,” the 37-year-old wrote on social media.
Already withdrawn from the American hard court tour (Indian Wells, Miami) in March, “Rafa” has not played an official meeting since the ATP 250 in Brisbane at the beginning of January, where he made his return to the circuit after – already – one year of absence.
“Even though I work hard and give my maximum effort every day with the desire to play again and compete again in tournaments that have meant a lot to me, the truth is that I am unable today to play, continued Rafael Nadal in his press release. The only thing I can do is accept the situation and look to the near future while remaining motivated to give myself a chance for things to improve. »
