Uncle Toni divulges on Rafael Nadal’s sudden withdrawal from Monte-Carlo Masters

Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from Monte-Carlo Masters got his fans anxious. Uncle Toni tells the reasons behind this decision.

Uncle Toni divulges on Rafael Nadal’s sudden withdrawal from Monte-Carlo Masters

Toni Nadal with Rafael Nadal (Image Credit: Tennis365)

Rafael Nadal‘s sudden withdrawal from Monte-Carlo Masters came as a surprise for many tennis fans. It has also raised doubts over his possible participation in the French Open. However, Toni Nadal, uncle of the 14-time French Open champion gives some very different reasons for this decision.

Toni Nadal in a recent interview given to a leading French sports website, talked about this. He also compared the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament which is an indoors competition from the French Open which is played outdoors.

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“He didn’t tour indoors. After Wimbledon he had a lot of problems and he couldn’t train or compete normally. It’s hard to play like that. At Roland‐Garros or during the clay season, it’s different because even if you’re not in top form, you know that Rafa can make an effort because he controls the strength and the speed,” Toni Nadal said.

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“But when you play indoors, it’s very difficult. When you play RG Rafa has maybe 2 or 3 games to take control, in Torino he doesn’t. If you play the first game against Fritz, it’s not easy. Maybe in the third you play better, against Ruud, but it’s already too late. Rafa is 36 years old, his body is not the same as before. He doesn’t need to train a lot, he has to be competitive. Lately, he gets his best form by competing, not by training,” he continued.

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Rafael Nadal with French Open 2022 trophy (Image Credit: The New York Times)
Rafael Nadal with French Open 2022 trophy (Image Credit: The New York Times)

Although, Rafael Nadal was never truly 100% fit for the tournaments, he kept on fighting and winning throughout the last season. He won both the Australian Open and the French Open which took his tally of number of Grand Slams to 22. He also reached the final of the Indian Wells Open.

However, fatigue and injuries finally caught up with the Spaniard. First, he had to withdraw from the semi-final round of Wimbledon giving a walkover to Nick Kyrgios who played his career’s first Wimbledon final. He subsequently had a disastrous campaign at both the US Open and the ATP Finals.

This year, he looked more vulnerable than ever. He was knocked out of the Australian Open 2023 in the second-round of the tournament as his hip injury spiked up again. This left him to miss out the Sunshine Doubles. His fans had hoped to watch him more during the clay swing of the season but his decision of not playing in the Monte-Carlos Masters has disappointed fans.

It is possible that Rafael Nadal only plays the French Open and no other tournament during the clay swing. Perhaps, that is what his uncle Toni Nadal may be hinting towards this possibility. However, his fans would like to watch their favorite superstar. Also, Roland Garros is holding its breathe for the most successful player in its history to walk on its halo courts.

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