When the Australian Open begins in Melbourne on January 12th, the entire tennis elite will travel Down Under again – Rafael Nadal, however, will not be at the start, as the Spaniard announced on social media that he will have to sit out due to an injury.
How? Nadal? Didn’t the 39-year-old end his glorious career last year? Is he planning a comeback? No way, the tennis professional chapter is checked off! Rather, there is a touch of self-irony behind his post with a serious background, after all, Nadal was repeatedly plagued by long-term injuries, especially in the autumn of his career.
Hand surgery for Nadal
The Mallorcan wrote about a photo showing Nadal with a bandaged right hand: “Looks like I won’t be able to play at the Australian Open in 2026 (with a salmon smiley; Anm. d. Red.). I had to have hand surgery for a problem I’ve had for a long time, but I hope to get well again soon!”
Next week, Nadal will be traveling to Saudi Arabia, where he will be guest of honor at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah as an ambassador for the Saudi Arabian Tennis Association.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner played his last match on November 19, 2024 and lost to the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp at the Davis Cup Finals.
Since then, the family, his tennis academy and golf have been the focus, but the “Bull from Manacor” has continued to worry about injuries even after his career has ended.
