Rafael Nadal has decided to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open, a revelation he made via social media on Wednesday evening. This announcement comes just a day before the commencement of the tournament, marking what would have been Nadal’s first official match since January.
The 37-year-old, who has been plagued by a hip injury requiring surgery, expressed deep regret over missing out on the Indian Wells tournament in his written statement.
Since the 2022 US Open, Nadal has participated in only 12 official matches. His last significant appearance was at the Australian Open, where he was defeated by Germany’s Alex Zverev on January 24th.
His most recent match saw him lose to compatriot Carlos Alcaraz at the Netflix Slam in Las Vegas last Sunday. Despite his preparations in the California desert for Indian Wells, Nadal’s statement acknowledged the setback of the defeat to Alcaraz.
A three-time champion at the BNP Paribas Open, Nadal boasts an impressive record of 59 wins and 11 losses at the hard-court tournament.
Expressing disappointment over Nadal’s absence, tournament director Tommy Haas announced that Nadal’s spot would be filled by India’s Sumit Nagal.
On Thursday, Nagal will face off against Canada’s Milos Raonic. Additionally, arrangements have been made to refund fans in light of Nadal’s withdrawal.