Just three days after participating in an exhibition in Las Vegas, against the young Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal announced that he will not participate in the Indian Wells Masters 1000, in which he was going to debut the next morning against the Canadian Milos Raonic. The Spanish tennis player, who will turn 38 on June 3, confirmed his withdrawal in the run-up to the Californian tournament, considering that he is not in optimal conditions to compete “at the highest level.” Therefore, he will not be in the Coachella Valley either, one of his favorites and where he was crowned three times (2007, 2009 and 2013). This is the third appointment that the Mallorcan has given up this season, in which he previously ruled out playing in Doha, just two weeks ago, and before that in the first major of the course, the Australian Open. In this way, he has only been able to play the Brisbane tournament – three games at the beginning of January – but there he suffered a setback in his return to the courts when he suffered a micro muscle tear.
“It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this incredible tournament in Indian Wells. Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love playing here. That is also one of the reasons why I came very early to the desert to train and try to prepare myself,” the Spaniard explained in a statement transmitted through his social networks. “I’ve been working hard and training, and you all know I tried out this weekend (Sunday), but I’m not ready to play at the highest level in such an important event. It is not an easy decision, in fact it is difficult, but I cannot lie to myself or lie to the thousands of fans. I will miss you all and I am sure that the tournament will be a great success,” continued Nadal, who is currently ranked 652nd on the world list, so he must resort to invitations or the ranking protected to be able to participate in tournaments.
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