(AP) – Rafael Nadal will play the Madrid Open after recovering from a rib injury that sidelined him for a month, he said Tuesday.
Rafa had been recovering from a stress fracture he sustained while playing at Indian Wells in March. His loss to American Taylor Fritz in the final of that tournament ended a run of 20 consecutive wins for Rafa, including a record 21st Grand Slam title when he won the Australian Open.
Rafa champion missed tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona because of the injury.
“Despite arriving with minimum preparation and knowing that it will be difficult, I am very excited to play and to play in front of a home crowd, even with few chances to win,” Rafa wrote in Spanish on Twitter. “I will try to do it the best I can. See you in Madrid.”
Rafa has won five times in Madrid, but not since 2017.
The Madrid Open starts on Sunday.
Source: Associated Press
All the very best Rafa. I’m sure you will try your best as always.
Winning or losing is not the issue in my opinion – before Roland Garros at any rate. Practice and match play is key for Rafa. And should he win – all the better. Can’t wait to see him back though – he’s been missed. Vamos.
M alegro de verte de nuevo, se que pondrás todas tus fuerzas en esa pista, pero pase lo que pase siempre estaré contigo!! VAMOSSS!!!!
Best not to be attached to winning or losing; match-readiness in itself will do you a world of good!
And if you go deep or even win, then it’s a bonus.
Enjoy playing!
I am so excited to be able to see you play again all the very best for Madrid vamos rafa
Rafa, very happy that you’re going to be back. Hope Madrid is not too early to start again after your injury. Please stay fit and healthy. That’s what matters the most!!!
Wish you all the very best!!!
VAMOS
😘❤️🍀🍀🍀
I assume they’ll all be going to see Real Madrid v City!
Wahoo! Tennis is just not the same without you! Take good care and Vamos!
Be careful when playing and hoprbthhe pain has gone rafaa
So happy to hear this❤️
Hope that you are well healed Rafa, it will be wonderful to see you play again, you have been so missed. Wishing you the best of luck for the tournament 💕
My hope is that you are healed enough to stay healthy.
Best of luck, Rafa. Hope you are feeling 100%👍👏💪🤛🎾🍀❤️
I have read at least three versions of the quote from Rafa set forth above, each one slightly different from the others. This is probably because they are translations from the Spanish.
At first I thought that the word “difficult” was Rafa’s reference to his lack of practice time or his physical condition. But the ATPTour.com version (not currently available apparently) makes clear that Rafa is referring to the “event,” presumably the high level of the tennis competition at Madrid.
Also the use of the word “chances” does not refer to Rafa’s prospects of winning. Rafa is saying that he doesn’t get many chances to play in his home country.
I do think that when he says he will do his best he is recognizing that he isn’t as prepared as he would like to be.
Personally I will be satisfied if Rafa gets two or three matches under his belt. He will still have Rome and practice time at the Academy. Who from the tour would he want to invite to practice with him?
Alcaraz?
Can’t wait to see you play, Rafa.🤭 All the best!❤️