Rafael Nadal: ‘There is no other option’

The worst omens were confirmed this Thursday morning. Rafael Nadal suffers from a grade 2 iliopsoas injury in his left leg, which occurred during his second round match at the Australian Open against Mackenzie McDonald. The Pepperstone ATP Rankings No. 2, who underwent an MRI in Melbourne before taking his flight back to Spain, will be sidelined for an estimated six to eight weeks, his team announced in a statement. Nadal felt intense pain in the affected area in the eighth game of the second set against the American. Despite the inconvenience, he finished the match, which he ended up losing 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. Although the Spaniard did not want to anticipate the diagnosis at the post-match press conference, the MRI under the supervision of Dr. Ángel Ruiz-Cotorro from the Teknon Clinic determined the extent of the injury to the iliopsoas in his left leg. Now, Nadal, who has played a total of four games in 2023 (with a 1-3 record), will be on sports rest and will do anti-inflammatory physiotherapy work in the coming days. “I’m tired, sad, disappointed,” Nadal said after the game in the press room. “From here, I suppose that when things progress the appropriate decisions will be made, because I want to continue playing tennis. That being said, don’t think I want to take a step back, it’s not the case, but my current feelings are bad. “It is evident that it is again, that in the last three Grand Slams I have not been able to finish any of them in good condition: two abdominal tears, here I do not know what is happening in the hip…”, recalled the 22-time Grand Slam champion. “We can come here, put on a brave face – which I do – and accept things – which I also do – but you don’t have to fool yourself and make an optimistic speech when you are not today.”

Rafa Nadal was far from his best

Rafael Nadal has made it clear that he will not be doing anything crazy to return to the court quicker. “I am not pessimistic or optimistic, right now I am cautious, we have to wait and see what the doctors say. There is no other option but to accept things as they come,” he expressed. “I have never done crazy things to want to return before time. Hopefully it won’t be long, I’m just asking that,” he added. The Spaniard’s run at the Australian Open came to an end after losing against Mackenzie McDonald (6-4, 6-4, 7-5).