Rafael Nadal will miss next week’s Madrid Open after a setback in his recovery from a hip injury sustained at the Australian Open in January, the 22-time major champion said on Thursday.
Nadal skipped tournaments at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo as well as the current Barcelona Open after suffering the injury that effectively ended his Melbourne Park title defence.
“Initially it had to be a six to eight week recovery period and we are now on fourteen,” Nadal said in a video published on his social media accounts.
“All medical indications have been followed, but somehow the evolution has not been what they initially told us and we find ourselves in a difficult situation.”
While the Spaniard, a 14-time French Open champion, still hopes to be fully fit for the grand slam starting in May, his statement is not optimistic.
“The injury still hasn’t healed and I can’t work out what I need to compete,” Nadal said.