Holder Rafa Nadal will miss the French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open in January, the 14-times Roland Garros winner said on Thursday, adding 2024 could be the final year of his career.
Nadal, who has dominated the claycourt season for years, has competed at Roland Garros every year since claiming the first of his men’s joint-record 22 major titles in Paris in 2005. “I’ll look to be 100% ready for next year, which I believe will be the last year of my professional career,” Nadal, 36, told reporters at a press conference.
“The evolution of the injury I sustained in Australia has not gone as I would have liked. I have lost goals along the way, and Roland Garros becomes impossible. Nadal said he needs to stop playing for the foreseeable future to make a full recovery and return for what he anticipates will be his farewell season.
“I’ll not establish a date for my return. I’ll see how my body responds and take it from there,” he said. “If I keep playing at this moment, I don’t think I can be there next year. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back in the highest level and compete for Grand Slams. What I will try to do is to give myself the opportunity to go back to what could be my final year competing at the highest level.”
The French Open runs from May 28 to June 11. French Open organisers said on Twitter: “We can’t imagine how hard this decision was. We’ll definitely miss you at this year’s Roland-Garros. Take care of yourself to come back stronger on court. Hoping to see you next year in Paris.”
Nadal overcame a niggling foot injury to beat Casper Ruud in last year’s final. But he has struggled with his latest issue and has not competed since January after hurting his hip flexor in his second-round match against Mackenzie McDonald that effectively ended his Melbourne Park title defence.