‘Nadal out for four to six weeks
Nadal was visibly struggling to breathe during the match, saying afterwards that he was finding it “difficult”, having had to lie down at times to receive treatment
Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal is out for four to six weeks with a cracked rib suffered during the Indian Wells final loss against Taylor Fritz on Sunday.
Nadal was visibly struggling to breathe during the match, saying afterwards that he was finding it “difficult”, having had to lie down at times to receive treatment.
The 35-year-old had been struggling with a pectoral injury during the tournament but on his return to Spain on Tuesday he told reporters that he was “all good".
However, after consultation with doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, it has been revealed that he has a stress crack in the third-left costal arch - an injury that occurred during the match.
The time frame for his recovery will be four to six weeks, and that will leave him with limited preparation time for the 2022 French Open as he looks to take back his long-standing crown from rival Novak Djokovic.
Nadal is quoted by Marca and Cadena Ser as saying, "This is not good news and I did not expect this.
"I am devastated and sad because after the good start of the season that I have had, I reached a very important part of the year with very good feelings and good results.
"But hey, I've always had that fighting and overcoming spirit, and what I will do is be patient and work hard after my recovery. Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their support.”
