I can’t lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans – Rafael Nadal explains withdrawal from Indian Wells
Just days after Rafael Nadal returned to the tennis court in an exhibition against Carlos Alcaraz, the 22-time Grand Slam champion is back on the sidelines after pulling out of Indian Wells.
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The Spaniard said he "can't lie to myself and to the thousands of fans". Nadal, who has only played three competitive matches in the last 12 months, might now also miss the hard-court Miami Open.
Rafael Nadal has pulled out of Indian Wells, admitting he is not "ready to play at the highest level at such an important event".
The Spaniard, a three-time winner in California, played an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas last week.
He last played competitively at the Brisbane International in January, almost a year since his previous outing at the 2023 Australian Open ended with a troublesome hip injury.
"It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this amazing tournament at Indian Wells," Nadal, 37, wrote on social media.
"Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love to play here. That’s also one of the reasons why I came very early to the desert to practice and try to get ready.
"I have been working hard and practicing and you all know I took a test this weekend [against Alcaraz] but I don’t find myself ready to play at the highest level at such an important event.
"It is not an easy decision, it’s a tough one as a matter of fact but I can’t lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans.
"I will miss you all and I am sure the tournament will be a great success."
Nadal returned to action after nearly a year out in Brisbane, where he won two matches before losing to Jordan Thompson.
He then pulled out of the Australian Open due to a separate muscle injury.
Ahead of Indian Wells he said that his preparation had been "bad" and he was just hoping to get through "unscathed".
He practised at the tournament this week and was due to face former world No. 3 Milos Raonic in a blockbuster first-round clash.
Nadal, who will be replaced in the draw by lucky loser Sumit Nagal, might now also miss the hard-court Miami Open this month and instead focus his efforts on the clay season.
The Monte Carlo Masters in early April could be his next target, building up to the French Open, which starts on May 20.
The Paris Olympics will also be played at Roland-Garros, where Nadal has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles.
