Due to what appears to be an injury, Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the 2024 BNP Paribas Open. In a statement released late on Wednesday afternoon, he did not further discuss that injury.
The fortunate loser Sumit Nagal of India, who plays Canadian Milos Raonic on Thursday, will take the place of the Spanish tennis star in the draw.
The second well-known player to withdraw from the Indian Wells tournament on Wednesday was Rafael Nadal. Paula Badosa, a former BNP Paribas Open champion and another Spanish player, withdrew earlier in the day due to injury.
With 22 Grand Slam victories, Rafael Nadal has not appeared on the global tour since Brisbane in January. Nadal has not participated in a match since suffering a microtear in his muscle during a run to the quarterfinals there.
Arriving at Indian Wells towards the end of the previous month, Rafael Nadal trained in Stadiums 1 and 2 before heading to Las Vegas for an exhibition match against fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz that was streamed on Netflix. It’s unknown how the intensely contested battle may have affected Nadal, but he ended it on Sunday night.
Nadal posted on X on Wednesday, saying, “I have to withdraw from this amazing tournament at Indian Wells with great sadness.” “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 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 has had to quit from Indian Wells before because of injuries. He was scheduled to play rival Roger Federer in 2019, but with Stadium 1 full of spectators, a knee ailment forced him to retire moments before kickoff.
In the absence of Nadal, tournament director Tommy Haas put up an unscheduled exhibition doubles match featuring retired Grand Slam champions Pete Sampras and John McEnroe, Haas, and Novak Djokovic. Comedian Jon Lovitz made comments during the match from the chair umpire’s seat.
Indian Wells has been won by Rafael Nadal three times: in 2007, 2009, and 2013. Two years prior, he faced American Taylor Fritz in the tournament final. However, he was sidelined again by injury the following year.
It’s reasonable to question whether Nadal will return to Indian Wells at the age of 37. Tommy Haas, the director of the BNP Paribas Open, expressed his and the tournament’s best wishes for Rafael Nadal going ahead.
“We wish Rafa continued healing and hope he can be back in action soon,” Haas said, “but we are disappointed that he is unable to play in the BNP Paribas Open.” “He is one of the all-time fan favorites here, and we hope to see him back in Indian Wells again in the future.”
