Rafael Nadal withdraws from French Open

Rafael Nadal, widely hailed as "The King of Clay," decided not to participate in the upcoming 2023 French Open. The 37-year-old Spanish tennis legend, currently ranked 14th in the world, will not grace the clay courts that have become synonymous with his remarkable career. Since his inaugural appearance in 2005, Nadal has left an indelible mark on the tournament, capturing the championship an unprecedented 14 times. His reign at the French Open is an unparalleled achievement in professional tennis, surpassing the records of male and female players in any major tournament.

During the press conference held in his tennis academy in Majorca, Spain on Thursday, Nadal said that he had tirelessly toiled for the past four months, attempting to overcome a significant hurdle that arose during his time in Australia, but he and his team "were not able to find the solution to the problem” he had in Australia. The tennis legend continued, "I am not a guy who is going to be at Roland Garros and just try to be there and put myself in a position I don't like to be in."

Rafael Nadal has been noticeably absent from the major tennis circuit following an injury to his lower abdomen and right leg during the second round of the Australian Open in January 2023. This unfortunate setback has not only disrupted his participation in tournaments but also led to a significant impact on his ranking. For the first time in 18 years, dating back to 2005, Nadal was ousted from the esteemed top ten in the world rankings. If he fails to retain the 2,000 winning points earned in the 2022 French Open, Nadal faces the imminent prospect of dropping from the world top 100 list.


hun@donga.com