The Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal announced on Monday that he tested positive for coronavirus after undergoing a PCR upon arrival in Spain after having played the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament, where he returned to the courts after just over four months of inactivity.
Through a post on his Twitter, the 35-year-old player explained that he is living about “unpleasant moments” and that he is isolated at home.
“Hello everyone. I wanted to announce that on my return home after playing the Abu Dhabi tournament, I have tested positive for COVID in the PCR test that was performed on me when I arrived in Spain,” Nadal began in a thread posted on his account from Twitter.
And he continued: “Both in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi we passed controls every two days and all were negative, the last being on Friday and having the results on Saturday. I am having some unpleasant moments but I hope that I will improve little by little. I am now homebound and have reported the result to people who have been in contact with me. “
True to his style and knowing the effects that covid can cause in athletes, Nadal tried to be cautious and avoided giving a possible date of return to the circuit.
“As a consequence of the situation, I have to have total flexibility with my calendar and I will analyze my options depending on my evolution. I will keep you informed of any decision about my future tournaments! Thank you all in advance for your support and understanding,” he concluded.
The injury and the return
Nadal played on Saturday and lost to Shapovalov in Abu Dhabi. Photo: AFP
After four months out of the circuit due to a chronic disease called Müller-Weiss syndrome that he suffers in his left foot, Nadal had returned to action in a traditional exhibition in Abu Dhabi. There were two presentations and two defeats for the former world number 1 who paid dearly for his inactivity and he lost to Scotsman Andy Murray and Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
After his return to the United Arab Emirates, Nadal had decided to spend the New Year’s Eve in Spain to later attend the Melbourne tournament, from January 3 to 9, and then face the Australian Open from the 17 of that same month . However, the contagion of coronavirus could alter his planning for 2022 in which he wanted to fight again in the foreground of the world circuit.
However, before learning that he had contracted covid, The Mallorcan had already given some signs of doubt about his participation in the first Grand Slam of the season. “I need to talk to my team and make a decision. I cannot guarantee 100% my participation in the Australian Open. My plan is to go there and do my best. That is my goal and that is the idea, but I have to see how the body feels after these couple of days. I have some time to make this decision. We will make it as the days go by. “
We will have to wait how the coronavirus impacts and if he feels with the necessary strength to fight the best of a circuit that this year appears to be the one of the definitive leap for the generation led by Daniil Medvedev, Alexander
Source: agencies
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