By: Aditya Ahuja

Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday, dashing hopes of witnessing the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s comeback to the ATP Tour.

“Hi all, these are very difficult moments for me, sporting wise. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte-Carlo. My body simply won’t allow me. And even if I am working hard & making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can’t play today,” Nadal wrote on X.

“You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events. The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better,” he added.

Nadal spent a year on the sidelines after suffering an injury at the 2023 Australian Open, but the Spaniard made his return to competitive tennis in Brisbane this January after a hip flexor injury.

Nadal’s exceptional performance at the Monte-Carlo Masters has solidified his position as the undisputed ruler of the Principality. In the ATP Masters 1000 event, the 37-year-old achieved a rare feat: winning more titles than losing matches in a single tournament.

As an 11-time Monte-Carlo champion, Nadal boasts an impressive 73-6 overall tournament record, including a 46-match winning streak from 2005 to 2013.

The 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters is scheduled to take place from April 7-14 at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Monte Carlo, Monaco.