Rafael Nadal will maintain a news convention at his tennis academy in Spain amid media stories that he’s going to overlook the French Open for the primary time since he gained the primary of his report 14 titles there in his debut in 2005.
Nadal has been sidelined by an injured left hip flexor since January, when he misplaced within the second spherical of the Australian Open.
Several sports activities shops based mostly in Spain mentioned on Wednesday that Nadal wouldn’t be competing at Roland Garros, the clay-court grand slam the place main-draw play begins on May 28. None of the stories cited a particular supply.
His supervisor, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, mentioned Nadal would communicate to the media on Thursday “about his participation in Roland Garros”, including that whether or not or not the 22-time slam champion will enter the French Open, “and the reasons either way, will be only be communicated” then.
Nadal has a profession report of 112-3 throughout 18 appearances on the French Open, a stage of dominance unmatched by any man or lady at any grand slam within the lengthy annals of a sport that dates to the 1800s.
When Nadal gained the trophy in Paris final yr on the age of 36 whereas coping with power foot ache, he grew to become the oldest males’s champion in match historical past.
The Spaniard hasn’t performed anyplace since he misplaced to Mackenzie McDonald within the second spherical of his Australian Open title defence on January 18, his motion clearly restricted by a bothersome left hip flexor. That was Nadal’s earliest grand slam exit since 2016.
An MRI examination the subsequent day revealed the extent of the damage, and Perez-Barbadillo mentioned on the time that Nadal was anticipated to want as much as two months to completely recuperate.
He initially aimed to return on the Monte Carlo Masters in March on his beloved purple clay, however he wasn’t in a position to play there, then subsequently sat out match after match, lowering the probability that he can be totally slot in time for the French Open.
Nadal is simply 1-3 this season. He has dropped seven of his previous 9 matches total, relationship to a fourth-round loss to Frances Tiafoe within the US Open fourth spherical final September.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
