Rafael Nadal will miss the start of the clay-court season after it emerged that the “needle-like” pain he suffered over the final weekend of Indian Wells was caused by a stress fracture of the rib.
Nadal, whose unbeaten start to the year ended with a straight sets defeat to Taylor Fritz in the California desert, is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. The setback will inevitably hamper his preparations for the French Open, where he is a 13-time champion. The Spaniard is certain to miss the Monte Carlo Masters, the traditional curtain-raiser to the clay-court swing, with his prospects of defending the Barcelona Open title also touch-and-go.
Nadal suffered the injury towards the end of his semi-final victory over compatriot Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells. He privately expressed doubt that he would be able to take to the court for the final against Fritz, and was clearly hampered by the issue as he fell to a straight-sets defeat. Tests undertaken on his return to Spain immediately revealed the nature of the problem.
“As it turns out, I have a stress crack in one of my ribs and will be out for 4-6 weeks,” Nadal wrote on social media. “This is not good news and I did not expect this. I am crestfallen and sad because after the start of the season I have had such a good time.
“I reached a very important part of the year with very good feelings and good results. But hey, I’ve always had that fighting and overcoming spirit, and what I will do is be patient and work hard after my recovery.”
It is another unwelcome blow for the 35-year-old, who had bounced back so impressively from the chronic foot problem that forced him to miss the second half of last season and threatened to end his career. In January, he won a record 21st grand slam title at the Australian Open, part of a 20-match winning streak that also brought titles at the Melbourne Summer Set and Mexican Open.
“When I try to breathe, it’s painful and it’s very uncomfortable,” Nadal said after his defeat to Fritz. “When I’m breathing, when I’m moving, it’s like a needle all the time inside here, no? I get dizzy a little bit because it’s painful. It’s a kind of pain that limits me a lot. It is not only about pain, I don’t feel very well because it affects my [ability] to breathe.”
Nadal had already withdrawn from this week’s Miami Open with one eye on the clay-court season, citing the need to rest before making the transition to his favourite surface. Now he faces the prospect of missing a substantial portion of what is traditionally his most fruitful period of the season.