Nadal pulls out of Qatar Open; aims to play French Open, Olympics

Rafael Nadal has pulled out of next week’s Qatar Open and postponed his return to competitive tennis because he has yet to make a full recovery from the torn muscle he suffered in Brisbane last month.

Nadal had been expected to make his return at the ATP 250 tournament in Doha staring on Feb. 19 after the Spaniard’s name appeared on the entry list.

“I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete,” Nadal said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

The 37-year-old added he is hoping to be fit for the exhibition against fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas on March 3 before making his ATP comeback at Indian Wells a few days later.

The former world number one returned to action in Brisbane after spending almost a year out on the sidelines with a hip flexor injury sustained at last year’s Australian Open.

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He did not compete again last season after undergoing surgery in June and his comeback in Brisbane was cut short after he suffered an upper left leg issue during his quarter-final outing. 

Nadal aims to play at French Open, Olympics

Nadal hopes to compete at this year’s French Open and the Olympics. The 37-year-old Spaniard has won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 14 French Open crowns.

“I don’t know which events I have left to play but between you and me, it’s not going to be many,” Nadal said in an interview with Spanish broadcaster La Sexta.

“(Roland Garros) will be one of my goals”, he added when asked whether he would play in his favourite Grand Slam tournament in May.

“I’d like to play at the Olympics as well. It’s not something I can confirm right now, but I hope I will… I think I will.”

Nadal, sidelined by injury for most of 2023, pulled out of next week’s Qatar Open on Wednesday, postponing his return to competitive tennis as he has not recovered from a torn muscle he suffered in Brisbane last month.