‘I am not ready’ – Rafael Nadal delays return to tennis again
Rafael Nadal has officially withdrawn from Doha as he continues his attempts to get back to playing regular tennis.
This season was supposed to be Nadal’s big return from injury after a year out with a hip problem, but so far he has managed just a few matches in Brisbane.
He then withdrew from the Australian Open, but quickly got himself on the entry list for Doha, which is due to start next week.
However, he has now delayed his return again.
“I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly,” Rafael Nadal said via his social media channels.
“Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014.
“I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament.”
I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win… pic.twitter.com/U4GUvIITcr
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) February 14, 2024
What are the key dates for Rafael Nadal comeback?
As Nadal says himself, his next scheduled appearance is the for the exhibition in Las Vegas against Carlos Alcaraz.
The highly anticipated ‘Netflix Slam’ is due to take place at the Mandalay Bay resort on March 3.
That is just three days before Indian Wells, which would suggest Nadal will either play both or neither. Should that go to plan, he will play the Miami Open on March 20 as well.
Of course, this is Rafael Nadal we are talking about, so his big target is the start of clay season.
That gets underway on April 7 with the Monte-Carlo Masters, and you suspect Nadal will not play before then if there is even a slight risk of aggravating an injury.
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