Madrid, April 4 (AFP\/APP): Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz withdrew Tuesday from the Monte Carlo Masters, raising questions over their fitness ahead of next month’s French Open.<\/p>\n
Nadal is preparing for a tilt at a record-extending 15th French Open title — and a 23rd Grand Slam crown, to break the men’s all-time record he shares with Novak Djokovic.<\/p>\n
“Hi everyone, I’m still not ready to compete at the highest level,” the 36-year-old Nadal tweeted.<\/p>\n
“I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo.”<\/p>\n
Nadal has won the Monte Carlo tournament 11 times.
\nThe French Open starts May 28.<\/p>\n
Nadal said he was hoping to return soon from the hip flexor injury he sustained in the Australian Open in January, suffering a second-round exit against Mackenzie McDonald.<\/p>\n
The Spaniard pulled out of hard-court tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami, with his sights set on a return at the start of the clay-court season.<\/p>\n
Record Monte Carlo Masters champion Nadal won the tournament eight consecutive times between 2005 and 2012.<\/p>\n
After the tournament’s director said Nadal was registered for this year’s edition, the 22-time Grand Slam champion last week denied he was set to participate.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know who gets this information, but obviously if it were true, I would confirm it, but, unfortunately, I cannot confirm it,” said Nadal at an event.<\/p>\n
“Things are moving day by day, and I don’t say things that I can’t fulfil.”<\/p>\n
Nadal’s announcement Tuesday was followed by that of Alcaraz, who pulled out of Monte Carlo because of hand and back injury problems.<\/p>\n
“After two months abroad, I am happy to return home but sad because I finished my last match in Miami with physical discomfort,” said Alcaraz on Twitter.<\/p>\n
“I will not be able to go to Monte Carlo to start the clay court tour. I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come.”<\/p>\n
Newspaper Mundo Deportivo ran the headline: “Black Tuesday for Spanish tennis,” after its top two stars withdrew from the first major event of the clay-court season.<\/p>\n
Djokovic, who reclaimed the number one ranking from Alcaraz on Monday, will headline the field at Monte Carlo, which begins on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Serb missed tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami after he was unable to enter the United States because he is unvaccinated against Covid-19.<\/p>\n
He hasn’t played since losing to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals in Dubai at the start of March, a defeat which snapped his 20-match winning streak.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Madrid, April 4 (AFP\/APP): Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz withdrew Tuesday from the Monte Carlo Masters, raising questions over their fitness ahead of next month’s French Open. Nadal is preparing for a tilt at a record-extending 15th French Open title — and a 23rd Grand […]<\/p>\n
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