Rafael Nadal injury at Australian Open 2023: When will he return to the ATP Tour?
Rafael Nadal suffered a hip injury in his second round loss at Australian Open 2023.
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Rafael Nadal
It seems that Rafael Nadal cannot seem to catch a break at the moment. The Spaniard has been pinned down by yet another injury, which brought an end to his title defence at Australian Open 2023. The 36-year-old suffered from a hip injury during his second round encounter against Mackenzie McDonald in Melbourne.
Rafael Nadal revealed that he will be out of action for at least the next six to eight weeks. Hence, we do not expect to see the Spaniard back in action until March. The top seed tore the iliopsoas muscle in his left leg during the second set, which restricted his movement on-court in the final set.
Rafael Nadal took to social media to announce his Grade 2 injury, and that he would consider anti-inflammatory physiotherapy for his recovery. The veteran is expected to drop further down in the ATP Rankings, given that he is going to miss a couple of crucial events in the coming month.
Related: Eager Iga Swiatek just too slick at the Australian Open
Rafael Nadal to target a return during the clay court season?
Rafael Nadal is expected to directly return to the ATP tour for the clay court season, which generally commences in April. It is pretty unlikely for the 36-year-old to compete at the Indian Wells Masters, which commences in the second week of March. Given that clay has been his best surface, he would look to preserve all his energy in order to have a shot at his 15th French Open title.
Rafael Nadal was among the top contenders to claim the Australian Open 2023 title. The Spaniard played an amazing first round match against Jack Draper, whom he defeated in four sets. However, he never looked settled against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round. The American was almost about to take a two-set lead before Rafael Nadal injured his hip.
The last couple of months have been quite frustrating for Rafael Nadal. Despite winning two Major titles in 2022, he also faced lengthy periods out on the sidelines. The two-time Australian Open champion was also forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon semifinals last year, owing to an injury. His recurrent injuries have also sparked rumors about his retirement.
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Nirmit Mehta
(2425 Articles Published)