Australian Open 2024: Rafael Nadal Opts Out Due To Injury Sustained During Brisbane International

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Australian Open 2024 suffered a huge blow on Sunday (January 7), when Rafael Nadal opted out of the season-opening Grand Slam due to a muscle injury sustained at the Brisbane International three days ago. The news comes a week before the Major gets underway in Melbourne.

Two-time Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal himself announced the news on his X handle, formerly Twitter, to break the news that he is flying back home after MRI scan revealed a micro tear on his muscle. Nadal suffered an injury during the Australian Open last year while losing to USA's Mackenzie McDonald.

"During my last match in Brisbane, I had a small problem on a muscle that had me worried," said Nadal on Twitter (X). "Once I got to Melbourne, I had the chance to undergo an MRI (scan). I have a micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury.

"The injury is not in the same part, that's good news," added Nadal, in reference to his painful injury last year at the Australian Open, where he lost to . Right now, I am not ready to compete at the maximum level of exigencies. I am flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest."

The social media post has shocked tennis fans, who were excited about Rafael Nadal's comeback. It took courage for him to try a comeback in 2023 after missing nearly the entire year. Following his injury at the 2023 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal had a long break from tennis.

He expressed his desire to retire in 2024 in an emotional essay over missing the French Open the previous year. But Nadal stated in Brisbane that he would like to stay on the ATP Tour if he could continue to play tennis.

The legendary Spanish player's main objective is to compete in the men's doubles competition in Paris this year, where he hopes to team up with Carlos Alcaraz. Although the 37-year-old left-hander's withdrawal from the Australian Open is disappointing, there was nothing else for it to do. He put in a lot of training in 2023, but playing a match is even harder because it requires lateral mobility in addition to front and back movement on hard courts.

It would be inaccurate to write off Nadal. He has struggled with pain and injury his entire life. He demonstrated that he had not forgotten the strokes when he advanced to the Brisbane ATP quarterfinals at the beginning of 2024. Seeing how he manages to return in 2024 will be fascinating to see.