Spanish Tennis player Rafael Nadal has been sidelined for five more months after undergoing a hip surgery for an injury that has kept him out of action since January 2023. Nadal, who turned 37 on Saturday, underwent a arthroscopic procedure on Friday and posted a message on Twitter, thanking his fans for support.
The injury has also forced the 22-time grand slam champion to miss French Open for the first time in 19 years. Although Nadal had reportedly been practising in recent weeks, he was not fit enough to participate in the clay-court tournament. His team revealed that the surgery had gone well as the damaged areas have been cleaned and reinforced, while the old injury was also treated.
"Rafa will begin his progressive functional rehabilitation in a few hours and the normal recovery process is estimated at five months," the 37-year-old's representative Benito Perez-Barbadillo said, as quoted by the BBC.
The former world number one took to his official Twitter handle and wrote on Saturday, "Thank you for all the support you have shown me and that you show me every day. Today is also my birthday. Not in the desired or dreamed place, but still, thank you."
Rafael Nadal has hinted at retiring from professional tennis in 2024:
Last month, Nadal stated that he wants to give himself the best chance of enjoying the next year 100 per cent, which could be his final year in the sport. He said, as quoted by Sky Sports:
"My goal and my ambition is to try and stop and give myself an opportunity to enjoy the next year that will probably be my last year in the professional tour. That is my idea but I can't say 100 per cent it will be like this, but my idea and my motivation is to try to enjoy and say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important for me. To enjoy being competitive and something that today is not possible."
Nadal, known as the King of Clay, has the most French Open titles in Men's Singles competition with 14.
