World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Mexican Open ahead of his scheduled match with Feliciano Lopez today.
Rafa said he followed doctor’s instructions and everything was going according to plan with his recovery from the left leg muscle injury that forced him to retire in the Australian Open quarterfinals last month.
My goal and hope was to play in this tournament. Unfortunately, in my last training session on Monday, I felt a sharp pain in my leg again.
I took all the appropriate steps to arrive at the tournament in form. I went to Cozumel first, to adapt (to the climate). But yesterday, in my last training session before the tournament, during one movement I felt a sharp pain again in the same area where I had the problem in Australia.
I still don’t know what it is, because we don’t know. It seems it’s not as bad as what I had at the Australian Open. Now, my main goal is to find out the extent of the injury.
Maybe it is a minor situation, but the reality is that there is liquid and until it goes down a bit and the relevant tests are done, it will not be possible to diagnose. (via AFP)
He is still not sure will he be able to play in Indian Wells and Miami. He said that now is not the moment to take some drastic moves and no matter will he be able to play in Indian Wells or not he will stay calm because his next goal then will be getting healthy for the clay season.
Get well soon, Rafa!
As I mentioned before – Rafa’s health especially regarding avoiding injuries etc. Is most important. We fans will miss him from time to time when he doesn’t play but that is better than not seeing him at all due to retirement or whatever. He has to heal completely and then be sensible about his schedule.
Get well soon Rafa!
🍀🤗😘
There is a mistake in the article. Rafa injured his RIGHT leg in Australia, not the left.
It is an inner-hip muscle injury on the right side of his body.
Seems to me that Rafa is listening to his doctor a lot more than he used to, which can only be a good thing as he gets older. Never mind disappointing fans and tournament organisers. He’s right to put his own well-being first.
Rafa I realize
it is very disappointing to you, but more investigation into your leg injury and professional reasssment will help you know what is the best to do going forward.
All the best for your further rehabilitation.
Love and prayers,
AlaineXXSydneyXXAustraliaXX
Hola Rafael Nadal Parera Vamos Champ Good Afternoon Time Here Is 4.46p Watch Your Video Press Conference I Wish You Safe And Quick Recovery Buby Bear Boo Boo xoxo Love & Miss You Forever And Always My King Nadal xoxo Sending All My Love Huggies Always Bula Vinaka Always #@Therese xoxo #@Princess of Fiji xoxo TAVUYA VILLAGE FIJI ISLANDS REWA PROVINCE FIJI ISLANDS XOXO SYDNEY AUSTRALIA XOXO 🇦🇺🇪🇸🎾
Rafa, please get another advise from another doctor. Don’t make the same mistake over and over again. You need a right therapy for your injury. The case is very similar to Andy Murray’s and we all know how he has been suffered from that hips which could possibly shut down his career.
I say that forget about the Sunshine Double. Take a full month to rest and discuss your game with Moya and Roig. Rafa needs to cover his weaknesses in serving and returning if he wants to be competitve in non-clay tournament and avoiding injuries. This should have been done in the off season if Rafa wasn’t being impatient with his body playing one meaningless match at O2 arena.
Rafa, we love you sooo much. It’s heart breaking to see you withdraw or retire from 5 consecutive tournaments like Paris to London to Brisbane to Melbourne to Acapulco. We know you give the most respect to Your opponents whatever their ranking may be. Similarly, give your most respect to your injuries also…. Bunch of Thanks
Very sad for Rafa <3
People are talking about retiring of nadal are complety nuts. I know that nadal doesnt want to retire. He is getting older recovery time takes longer. This proves me how important scheduling is. Look if i were Nadal i wouldnt have played acapulco in the first time. I know he likes the facilities and the location closed to the beach. But i would put the focuss on indian wells and miami and then would have skipped monte carlo and barcelona because i won those tournaments 10 times and put the focuss on madrid and rome and the paris open. and after that playing queens and wimbeldon and then montreal and cincinnati and the us open. then i would play sjanghai, paris and the atp finals. I would skip davis cup, laver cup and all those demonstrations nothing to win for me
Agree…almost
The hardest injury to heal is ‘the nerves’ which I believe is the real injury.
Jean, the injured area is loaded with nerve cells but Rafa reported it was his iliopsoas muscle that was injured.
I hope there is no nerve damage whatsoever because for the most part nerve cells don’t regenerate.
If you are referring to the peripheral nervous system, it can take up to a year for these nerve cells/branches to repair themselves.
Waiting to find out if it’s the same AO problem or if additional damage was caused by Rafa’s too-soon return to practice. Whatever the case may be he needs to rest if he wants to continue his career in good health.
RAFA ROCKS
I am unfortunately referring to Rafa’s nervous attitude, his insecurities, that have returned. Mind over muscle. He is at the moment mentally not ready for big things I am afraid.
I hope that’s not the case.
Your post brings to mind a comment made by Carlos not long after he joined Rafa’s team. During an interview he said something to the effect, “I know what Rafa’s problem is.” He never clarified what he meant but it has stuck with me. Le mystère.
RAFA ROCKS
Hi Jean, I am reposting a response to you here about Rafa’s nerves because it was erroneously posted on a different feed.
Until there is incontrovertible evidence that Rafa is having another bout with anxiety, I can’t believe he is having mental issues.
Toni explained Rafa’s mental injury as an effect of not winning. 2017 was a great season for Rafa. He has not been losing tournaments, he has been either withdrawing or retiring from tournaments due to injury. A big difference, no?
RAFA ROCKS
So sorry to hear that. Espero te repongas pronto. Cuídate mucho.
Rafa, we love seeing you play, but at the same time, we feel sad when you are too quick to jump into practice courts (aggravating your injury) and then enter the tournament only to withdraw. So, please please do not even practice when you are even 92% ready. Take a long rest and then become best clay court player again. ALL THE BEST
Rafa, you were advised to rest. You didn’t. I hope you start testing now. Let your body heal. Get well champ.
RAFA EL UNICO
Correction: resting not testing
Hope you get well soon and return to the sport you love so much. Looking forward to watching you play again and will pray for your full recovery. You are a true champion!
One fans who cares only for your health and future–me–
As much as I love to see you play, Rafa, and only care to watch tennis when you have played the past 15 years, I feel it is time for you to retire from tournaments and save your still young body for your future and that of your family, present and future. You have given your all to tennis There are other ways to stay involved. I have looked forward to your attendance here where I live in the Indian wells California area. However, your health and future are most important to me and your most caring friends.
have you lost your mind betty are you kidding me retiring why does he have to retire he lost the game so match he loves playing tennis. I dont want him to retire I want him to play tennis and win big titles winning grandslam and give his all on the court. I dont want him to retire I want him to accept the fact he is getting older and make smarter choices with his schedule that is all.
As long as he has the passion he should play tennis. You are talking like he is your son. Hope he will come to indian wells and miami. I hope he will do well in indian wells and get the nr 1 spot back and hope he wins miami. He should not be retiring at all for havent sake
correction betty he loves the game so much and still has the passion to play tennis
Betty, I think you’re jumping the gun by saying Rafa should retire. Djokovic, Murray, Nishikori, Wawrinka, Del Porto and Raonic have all had serious injury problems.but that doesn’t mean they should retire. We must remember that the AO was only last month and the injury that he sustained needs much more time to heal properly. I want Rafa to continue playing tennis for as long as he enjoys it. I think the best thing for him is to take a rest until the clay season and even then, he should be selective about which of those tournaments he enters.
Who is this Betty, so-called fan advising Nadal to retire? What nonsense…I think Nadal’s true fans want him to rest and recover and play and win for as long as he is healthy.
With Rafa’s history of injuries, it is not wrong for a fan to wish Rafa to stop. I worry that I am being selfish by wanting Rafa to play so often. We all want Rafa to live a long pain free life. There are a lot of famous athletes who live in pain in their retirement.
Va4fsvre,
Like you, that is how I understood Betty’s comment. It is unambiguous: she is worried about Rafa’s life after tennis. Thanks for your input.
RAFA ROCKS
So-called fan? True fans?
I always thought someone was either a fan or not a fan.
It took this site to teach me that those who use the term “true fan/s” use it in a derogatory sense to separate fans with different perspectives.
“I think Nadal’s fans want him to rest and recover and play and win for as long as he is healthy,” is a lovely sentence. Why ruin it?🤗
Well at least he is listening to his doctor. Lets hope the pain wont bother him in indian wells and miami. Nadal has a chance to get the nr 1 again because federer has to defend 2000 points
Play only if you are 100 % fit period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he’s done the right thing if he’s not fully fit