Madrid Masters tournament director Feliciano Lopez has told Rafael Nadal that the Madrid Open will “always be your home.” On Thursday, Nadal announced what many feared would happen – the five-time Madrid champion is out of the tournament after failing to recover in time from a hip injury.
Nadal, who made his Madrid debut in 2003, is missing the tournament for the first time in two decades. “Madrid and @MutuaMadridOpen will always be your home @RafaelNadal. The only thing we want is that you recover soon to make us happy again,” Lopez tweeted.
Madrid y el @MutuaMadridOpen siempre serán tu casa @RafaelNadal Lo único que deseamos es que te recuperes pronto para volver a hacernos felices.ð¾ð https://t.co/NhFQTlxNfx — Feliciano López (@feliciano_lopez) April 20, 2023
Lopez sends a message of support to Nadal
After withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters, Nadal also skipped this week’s Barcelona Open.
The hope was that Nadal would at least be able to return in Madrid. Unfortunately, that also won’t be happening. What was initially reported as a six to eight weeks break, has become a three-month absence. “As you know I suffered a major injury in Australia, in the Psoas.
Initially, it had to be a six to eight-week recovery period and we are now on fourteen. The reality is that the situation is not what we would have expected. 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.
The weeks are passing and I had the illusion of being able to play in tournaments that are the most important in my career such as Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros and for the moment I have missed Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
I will not be able to be in Madrid unfortunately. The injury still hasn’t healed and I can’t work out what I need to to compete. I was training, but now a few days ago we decided to change course a bit, do another treatment and see if things improve to try to get to what comes next,” Nadal announced. Nadal is now hoping to be able to return at the Rome Masters.
