A recurring back injury has forced Rafael Nadal to withdraw from Rotterdam. Our champ announced he’s withdrawn from next week’s ATP 500-level tournament on advice of his doctors.
It is with great sadness that I have to forfeit from Rotterdam. As most of the fans know, I suffered some back problems in Australia that started in Adelaide and continued during Melbourne.
We found a temporary solution that allowed me to play without pain in the second week of the tournament. Once I got back to Spain I visited my doctor and together with my team they’ve advised not to play this upcoming week.
I was really looking forward to coming back to Rotterdam and the Netherlands since it’s been a while I played there this was the perfect year for my calendar. I hope to come back and play there soon. All the best to the tournament, always a top-class event.
I’ve had a bad feeling about the Rotterdam Open ever since reading about reports of The Netherlands’ country-wide violent protests against the coronavirus lockdowns and Rafa’s announcement to play there. I am so relieved he won’t play.
Surely, Rafa’s back injury and his necessary withdrawal from Rotterdam must be a downer for him. Not for me.
His love of tennis and competition pushes Rafa to play regardless of the surface. Figuratively speaking come rain or shine, he will always have my support. And even when I feel he shouldn’t play a particular tournament I’m in his corner. As a fan, my choice of tournaments Rafa plays is secondary.
I can see him winning the French, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Good health to our Champion.
Correction: “Not for me” refers to his withdrawal.
I didn’t expect Rafa to play this event even if he were healthy. It’s an indoor HC event, very soon after AO and also very close to the start of the clay season (assuming that happens as scheduled). Rafa’s back issue concerns me. I would expect nothing until Monte Carlo at this point and hope he’s healthy for that. The 2019 clay season wasn’t a great one due to Rafa coming back from injury and having mental issues with doing so, so there are are some opportunities coming up. 🙏🏻
Get well soon champ.
He only wants to play on Clay that is his whole season
Fair criticism of Rafa is fine, but Rafa has never said that he is the greatest and he enjoys different surfaces. He has certainly played well at the USO. Two of the clay events are held in Spain, and Rafa loves playing there.
I am sorry but i dont buy it. At the australian open rafa said that everything was fine with his back. Now he is withdrawing.
I dont believe that nadal is injured he is using his injury because he is affraid of facing players on his weakest surface. I am very dissapointed in him it seems to me he only wants to play on clay not on other surfaces
He plays four clay court tournaments at the age of 34 because he still thinks that he is 24. How can you regard to be the greatest of all time if you dont want to challenge yourself on other sufaces.
Maybe rafa should not be a part of the discussion about who is the GOAT. That should be between federer and djokovic. They have preform well on all surfaces in contrary to rafa
If Rafa didn’t want to play Rotterdam he could have just not entered it! He likes to play tennis and has never been afraid of losing! I am very sorry to hear the back is still a problem and hope that rest and treatment will heal him soon. Get well soon, champ!
I’m not happy about his back issue but I’m extremely happy he withdrew from Rotterdam which is one of the slowest hardcourts around and will only cause more wear and tear. In fact, he should only play at indian wells or miami not even acupulco which is also quite slow. Faster hardcourts like the Australian open or miami (medium speed) is better for him at this stage of his career which will save his body for the French open and Wimbledon. The slams are far more important than any 500 level tournament.
I think that Rafa has made a wise decision. We will miss him but his health comes first.
It’s wonderful that he is nominated for a Laureus Award.
Wishing Rafa a full recovery. We will still be there when he returns.🇪🇸🌟🍀
Rafa responds to his Laureus Award nomination:
Thank you to everyone in the Media for giving me this Nomination. It was great to win my 13th
@rolandgarros
and my 20th Grand Slam last in 2020. May the best one win but thanks anyhow for this nomination. Always an honor.
Get well soon champion!
Wish you well and a full recovery Rafa, all the best!❤️
See you again whenever you are ready.😊
Sad that our Champion still suffers from the back muscle injury. Just hoping it won’t be a surgery recovery!. Why Rafa? He is the humblest loving and caring athlete, and doesn’t deserve all the injury he has suffered. Get well soon Champion. 🙏🙏🇪🇦☘
True to that David Holman, he need to rest and heal then everybody will enjoy tennis including our enemies will enjoy, vavamos Rafa our beloved champion cant wait to see u in court
Hope Rafa’s back will be ok for the clay season if not for Miami in late March.
Health comes first. Rest up and come back strong..
Hoping this is nothing serious and doesn’t turn into a long injury saga. Fingers crossed that he’ll be OK soon.
I too was not surprised by this news. I am disappointed, of course, but Rafa should not play when he is not 100%. Tournaments are less interesting without Rafa, but his health is more important.
@RafaelNadal has posted a video on Twitter giving thanks to each of his team members. He explains why each member Is an integral part of his team.
The theme of the video is that his accomplishments would not have been possible without his team and Rafa challenges his audience to explain how they have been helped in their life.
For those of you who have excoriated Carlos Moyá or another team member, it is an opportunity for you to understand how Rafa sees his team members.
Margo, i will look for this. It always makes me sad when Carlos or others are criticized. Rafa has a wonderful and dedicated team around him.
va4favre, if you don’t know Spanish it has English subtitles on Twitter. He posted it last week, I believe, so it’s one of his most recent tweets: you won’t have to go digging.
Hope you enjoy it.
I was taken aback by the vitriolic comments.
Health comes first .. Rest up Rafa xoxoo
Stay safe!
Best of luck with recovery, Rafael Nadal. Get healthy and stay safe👏💪👍🤛🍀❤️
Can’t say I am surprised. I hope his back is on the mend so we can see some great tennis. Wishing Rafa all the best for a complete recovery.
To those who doubt Rafa’s performance in Australia I’ve got to say that he played really well given his back issues. Once Rafa gets enough rest and treatment to get back to normal he will again be capable of winning big tournaments.