Rafael Nadal has announced that he will not be participating in the Madrid Masters next week due to ongoing struggles with a hip injury, which is a significant setback to his preparations for the French Open.
Nadal shared the news on Instagram, stating that the injury is still not healed. He has already missed the Monte Carlo and Barcelona tournaments, and his absence from Madrid is another setback for his run-up to the French Open.
Nadal has not played since losing in the second round of the Australian Open in January, and he had hoped to return at the start of the clay-court season.
However, his hip flexor problem has severely disrupted his preparations for the tournament, where he hopes to win a record-extending 15th title at Roland Garros in May.
Nadal and his team are trying a different treatment to see if his condition improves, but he is not setting a deadline for his comeback.
He is currently ranked 14th and faces a race against time to be fit for the Rome Masters, which is the last major tune-up event before the French Open.
