Rafa Nadal makes sad new announcement after withdrawal from Australian Open

Rafa Nadal has once again left his fans devastated having withdrawn from the Qatar Open as he struggles to recover from a hip injury. Aussie tennis fans couldn't believe it when Nadal withdrew from the Australian Open after sustaining a minor tear to his troublesome hip that ruled him out for most of 2023.

While it wasn't the same injury, Nadal and his team felt the Spaniard needed to return home and miss the first grand slam of the year to start the recovery process. Fans have speculated when the 22-time grand slam champion would return as he prepares for a likely assault on one last clay court campaign.

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However, Nadal fans will have to wait even longer to find out when he will return to competition. The 37-year-old announced he hasn't recovered in time to play in Doha, which he won in 2014. "I would have loved to play in Doha ... Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won't be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014," Nadal wrote on social media.

"I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament." Fans will be excited that the Spaniard has announced his intention to play against fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match for Netflix.

He will then use a protected ranking to enter Indian Wells if he is fit. Fans were once again left devastated the Spaniard would miss another event on the tennis calendar. While it was always Nadal's intention to find full fitness for the clay court season, fans are becoming concerned in what is most likely the Spaniard's last year on tour.

Rafa Nadal looks at clay court campaign

Speaking to publication Revelo before his Doha announcement, Nadal admitted he was still suffering from the injury and being fit for the clay court campaign was always his goal. "I have had some discomfort in recent weeks and I am a little bit on the limit,” he said in quotes published by the outlet. "At this point, every blow I take, every injury, is a setback, not only in tennis and physically, but also mentally.

“I trust 100% to be in Indian Wells, it is a very special tournament for me. I don't know if it will be the last time I am going to play it, so I would like to be in Indian Wells, for sure...My priority goal, which is what I said from the beginning, is to get to the clay season as healthy as possible. I want to try to give myself the option to enjoy the clay season.”

After injuring his hip last year, Nadal announced that 2024 would most likely be his last year playing professional tennis. The Spaniard indicated Roland Garros or the Paris Olympics would be his final tournament.

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