Rafael Nadal will be sidelined for six to eight weeks by the hip flexor injury he suffered during his second-round loss at the Australian Open. He had an MRI scan on his left leg in Melbourne on Thursday, which revealed a grade 2 injury in the Illiopsoas, the primary hip flexor.
“Good afternoon. I have carried out medical tests after the defeat yesterday,” Rafa said in his tweet. “The MRI shows a grade 2 lesion in the iliopsoas of my left leg. Now it’s sports rest and anti-inflammatory physiotherapy. Normal recovery time 6 to 8 weeks.”
“He will be resting the next days once back in Spain and will start with anti-inflammatory physiotherapy,” his team said in a statement. “The normal time estimated for a complete recuperation is between six and eight weeks.”
A six to eight week recuperation would allow Rafa to return well before the clay court season and the run-up to the defence of his French Open title in late May and early June. That means our champ won’t play in Dubai and his status for Indian Wells and Miami is in doubt.
Source: Reuters
I do not expect to see Rafa back in action before the clay season. He needs to be cautious as this injury needs to heal fully. He would be unwise to risk hard court .
Tennis is so dull without him. The AO was very poor in terms of quality ,so many injured and a dodgy draw.
Tsitsipas is the last one left in the draw who could stop Djokovic from winning the AO title this year. I sure hope Tsitsipas finds his best tennis to beat that bad person. Tsitsipas is over 10 years younger than the evil jerk, so if this goes 5 sets, he will have the edge over hamstring faker.
jimmy are you mad brah? djokovic won it all again
It’s called optimism and hope, not madness.
The world could benefit from more of hope and optimism.
So what if Djokovic won?
Marijnt, the update that I have seen about Rafa says that his doctors in Barcelona confirmed the diagnosis and that he will be evaluated again in three weeks. The update also says that Rafa looks forward to Indian Wells though that seems pretty aggressive. Not clear to me whether Rafa said he wants to be ready for IW or possibly its the reporter saying this.
Thanks
Hi everyone
Who has a update about rafa
Women’s Semi finals: Prediction
The happy slam is wrapping up in Melbourne. Here is OhCamp women’s side outlook.
E. Rybakina vs. Victoria Azarenka
It is going to be a very exciting and competitive match to watch. Both of them were the slam champions; 2 times AO champion back in 2012-2013 for Azarenka and last year Wimbledon champion for Rybakina. Both of them are big hitters and great movers. Rybakina has a bigger serve than Azarenka but Azarenka is great in changing direction of the balls and can rally longer. Their paths through the semis by winning over many big names are also impressive; Rybakina took down Collins, the AO’s finalist last year in round 3, Swiatek, 3 times grand slam champion and world No. 1 in round 4, and Ostapenko, the former French Open champion in the quarterfinals. Azarenka’s route to the semis was not easy either; she defeated Keys(10) in round 3, Kenin, a former AO champion in the first round and Pegula(3), a hot contender for the title this year in the quarterfinals.
Regarding their recent forms, I will put Rybakina in the front; Rybakina wins in 3 sets.
Aryna Sabalenka vs. M. Linette
These two players met 2 times and Sabalenka won both. Sabalenka, the world No. 5, was the favorite in this event from the beginning since she was in this stage; grand slam quarterfinals, two times and this year is her third try. She is one of the most powerful hitters of women players and when she is on, no one cannot stop her. Her form coming to AO this year is obviously dangerous to any opponent compared to her last year’s poor performance in which the number of double faults surpass the number of aces. She started the year by winning the title in Adelaide before coming to the AO. Linette, on the other hand, became a giant killer for this event regarding her results coming through to the quarterfinals; defeating big names like Kontaveit (round 2), Alexandrova ( round 3), Garcia (round 4) and Pliskova in the quarterfinals. Being in the semi finals of AO is her highest run of her career at the age of 30. She will have a difficult time trying to overcome Sabalenka’s power to win this important match. Sabalenka could win in 3
Stay tuned for the up-coming men semi final AND as always, enjoy tennis everyone!!!
Interesting comments from Najam. Agree with him especially comment on mental fortitude. Have always said that Djokovic is very strong mentally. Even Rafa has lost a few matches against him mainly because Djokovic’s mental power over powered him. Also physically – D does a lot to keep fit – from diet to ……. Oxygen egg etc. He also combines positive affirmations with everything else.
Not surprised about Djokovic faking injury. I think he made a funny comment after he was beaten by Rafa in the French Open insinuating that he didn’t quite believe Rafa about not feeling his foot.
God, really hope that by some miracle the joker loses.
Djoker is not only a liar but he is vindictive and unforgiving too.
He says he will never be friends with de minaur after what he says about him.
Apparently de minaur never played djokovic before but said two things that angered djokovic. He was not supportive of djokovic playing in last year’s Australian open and he claimed he did not witness djokovic being injured at this year’s Australian open.
Djokovic is a talented but very machine like tennis player but has reached a real low here.
Hopefully rublev can blow him off the court. I’d be interested if the hamstring injury comes up if he loses a set to rublev or falls behind in their match.
Djokovic is an evil man, never letting go of his desire for revenge. His demolition of de minaur was fueled by revenge.
Just need a fantastic player to beat djokovic. No miracle needed really. He is a machine but not impossible to beat.
Djoker is portrayed as the ultimate evil and bad person tennis player in the media. And rightly so because of all the ills and pain he has caused in life (cheated on wife, berated by wife, spread covid19 to players in Adria tour and kids in Serbia, tried to sneak into Australia last year with a false visa, lied on immigration forms about never having traveled outside country, and so on and on). He just has no morals but likes to get revenge on others.
It doesn’t matter how many tennis achievements or records he breaks. He will be remembered for being a bad person and this will be part of his legacy.
You hardly hear of anyone good who wants to be like djoker.
🙏 for Tommy
Paul…You can do this! Just feel all the power of Rafa’s fans & you can knock him out & send ND home! ❤️❤️🙏🙏
Tommy Paul needs to make this a very physical match and get Djokovic on the run non-stop for 5 sets. Get Djokovic running so bad with drop shots and powerful shots to the corners, so that Djokovic hyper-extends the leg and feels the burn in the hamstring. He is 10 years younger than the evil Djoker, and also praying that Tommy Paul wins.
Tommy can do it and has been improving all tournament long. Just one wrong move by the sneaky lying drama queen Djoker, and then it’s over and Djokovic is sent packing home.
To answer David Holtzman, you could be right.
As long as somebody beats Djokovic – I don’t care who it is.
Another Russian is also capable of beating Djokovic, Khachanov. He made it to the semi of the U.S. Open.
Khachanov has actually beaten djokovic before at the Paris indoors final, another fast surface court.
However, it seems tsitsipas has more weapons to beat djoker in the final. Either way, I want someone to prevent that evil man djokovic from winning a 10th AO title this year.
I hope I’m wrong & l’ll gladly eat crow but honestly I don’t see anyone left that can beat ND. Look at his draw they could have just walked him right to the trophy. I haven’t seen any hamstring injury …in the press room he was talking about all the machines & treatments he’s had… I say malarkey! We have all witnessed through out the years Novak seemly exhausted and ready to collapse only to miraculously recover and come back for the kill. ND might end up with the most GS but he can never be the GOAT…He is a horrible role model… smashing rackets, cursing…. The way he acted at the Olympics was an embarrassment to tennis… they should’ve chucked him out. Rafa & Roger are both examples of what a GOAT should consist of! I haven’t been enjoying this AO … just don’t care for the whole format… they don’t even show the players walking into the court which is kind of the best part! Each time Rada played they just went over to the court & he wad already practicing. I love watching him walk on to the court and all the fans going crazy for him! Just a lousy tournament this year!
Rafa * was …sorry!
Federer conceded 3 costly matches to Djokovic after holding double match points (Wimbledon Final in 2019 and US Open Semi-Finals in 2010 & 2011). There are many ifs and buts in this. Nevertheless, had Federer not choked and if he were a bit more stronger mentally, he would have surely won at least one more GS title at Wimbledon in 2019; and he would have denied Djokovic at least one more GS title at US Open in 2011. If Federer would have won the 2011 US Open SF against Djokovic, he would have played Nadal in the final at Flushing Meadows. This would have set back Djokovic with 19 GS Titles at present, and Federer would have ended his career with either 21 or 22 GS Titles, and Nadal would have been presently with either 22 or 23 GS Titles (depending on who would have won US Open in 2011 if the final would have been played between Federer & Nadal).
Had Federer not choked on 3 occasions after holding double match points, he would have had a positive 26-24 H2H career record against Djokovic instead of 23-27, and Djokovic would have been presently lagging both Federer and Nadal with 3 to 4 GS Titles.
Both Federer and Nadal are loved around the world much more than Djokovic who is more often perceived as a villain. Federer leads the trio with his iconic image, star appeal and x-factor closely followed by Nadal, while Djokovic being a distant third with his often egoistic demeanours.
Arguably, Federer was the most graceful, charming, elegant, talented, artistic, witty, eloquent and charismatic tennis player of all time. He was also the greatest grass-court and ultra-fast hard-court player of all time to-date. Clay (and Nadal) somewhat spoiled Federer’s overall statistics and records (as well as loss of 3 GS matches to Djokovic after holding double match points).
Nadal is equally charming and is greatly loved all over the world as much as Federer. Moreover, Nadal is the greatest ever clay-court player of all times as nobody can even come nearer. Statistically and evidently, Nadal lags both Federer and Djokovic on both grass and hard courts.
Federer and Nadal are exciting on court and a treat to watch – but Djokovic’s style of Tennis is quite clinical, mechanical, monotonous and boring at times. To Djokovic’s credit, he is a remarkably successful player on all surfaces who adjusts his game beautifully and quickly. Djokovic leads the trio in mental fortitude, while Federer is the most vulnerable (and quite a choker in crunch moments) of them.
Although purely on statistics as a tennis player, Djokovic would marginally emerge as the greatest TENNIS player of all time, he would still not be the GOAT as he is far behind Federer and Nadal on fan-following, star appeal and people’s love and affection.
I have lost a lot of respect for the Australian open event and organizers.
They sure are favoring djokovic more than other players.
Examples:
1. Craig Riley tournament director says no one is allowed to boo or jeer at djokovic, or else risk being removed from the match and tournament. At least Stan saw rinks had the decency to call this out as unfair.
Djokovic has only played night matches so far. They never put him on during the day sessions in the extreme sun.
They let djokovic continue to lie about his fake hamstring injury and take several medical breaks during the first few matches. He just declared that he feels no pain after winning the match against de minaur.
It was also Craig Riley who tried to sneak him into Australia last year. Thank goodness they caught the skunk and evicted djokovic from the country. He has no face or dignity to return to Australia this year.
Well, the Australian open is always the lowest ranked major in my books when compared to the other 3 majors.
US Open pays the most.
French Open is the most grueling to win.
Wimbledon has the most history.
I bet that djokovic won’t be able to win 14 Australian open titles to match Rafa’s 14 French open titles (and counting).
Rafa’s record at the French open will stand the test of time and can never be matched by anyone else in the future. 112 wins and only 3 losses in Rafa’s entire career thus far, with a 97% success rate. 14 titles so far and a perfect 14-0 finals record. 😀💪❤️🏆🏅☀️🍾🍷
Rafa has more French open AND US Open titles than djokovic. 🥳🎾🍀
Finally Rafa has more respect and worldwide fans than djokovic.
We LOVE Rafa!!!❤️🍾🎁
Rafa has had more injuries and heartache in Melbourne than at the other slams. For that reason alone, I rank the Australian Open lowest among the 4 majors.
Even so, Rafa has surprisingly won more matches at AO than at either the US Open or Wimbledon. That’s because Rafa missed more US Opens in his career due to injury before the event.
Same here. I rank the French Open the highest among the 4 majors due to it being the hardest major to win, and Rafa has won the most slams there (a record that no one ever will match). Not only that, the French Open has installed a magnificent statue of Rafa there. Like many have said before, they ought to rename the French Open center court after Rafa Nadal in the future.
Djokovic is faking an injury.
He said his leg is fine and pain free after steamrolling de minaur in the 4th round.
What a liar djoker is and unsportsmanlike conduct he has displayed throughout the tournament.
Rublev, you earned a second life after squeaking past Rune. Please take out djokovic and his fake injury, and go for the title.
What a bunch of baloney with the lies about a hamstring injury that aren’t true.
I cannot believe that a sneaky liar like djokovic can get away with such dishonesty at a major event like he has at this event.
We need rublev, Shelton, Paul, tsitsipas, korda, khachanov, and lehecka to step it up and send djokovic packing. Which of these guys has the goods to succeed?
Roxy and Trina, thank you for your posts. I was feeling exactly the same way in my mind. But you both said it best and nailed the right words and matched the feelings I have been having. What a shame for this liar to ruin the tournament…
I 100% agree that Djokovic is the biggest liar and dishonest slimy guy playing tennis today.
Well, well. Todd Woodbridge has said he suspects djokovic is lying about his injury too. djokovic is a drama queen and an expert at lying.
Yes, I read a lot of folks are saying that an investigation needs to be made of djokovic’s false injury claims. Let the truth prevail.
Djokovic is the biggest liar and a cheater in professional tennis today. There’s no denying that, especially if he claims he was about to withdraw from the 2023 AO tournament due to his hamstring injury and hasn’t yet. Instead he has been demolishing his opponents with ease, running all over the court painlessly and effortlessly.
I would love to see Henry the Hamstring beat up djokovic and prevent him from stealing the AO title.