Rafael Nadal: out for the beginning of the season

Majorcan tennis player Rafael Nadal, the number one athlete in the Asociación de Tenistas Profesionales (ATP), had to call off his participation in the Brisbane Tournament. It’s his second cancellation of the 2018 season after quitting the Abu Dhabi exhibition games. Due to some some complications Nadal has experienced in his right knee, it seems as if the tennis star will have to put off his debut to later on in the year.

Nadal made his decision public via Twitter. A few days ago, the Majorcan tennis player wrote, “I am sorry to announce I won’t be coming to Brisbane this year. My intention was to play, but I am still not ready after last year’s long season and the late start of my preparation. I had a great time there and it was a great start to the month I spent in Australia”.

This message confirms that Rafael Nadal will get to Melbourne, Australia, on January 4th and he will try to be ready to play the first Grand Slam of the 2018’s season, which starts on January 15th. Nadal, who has been a Major league champion sixteen times, has had trouble on his right knee during the last months of the 2017 season.

Last year, Nadal played 78 games, having won 68. It’s important to point out that the Spanish player received his tenth title on the clay court of Roland-Garros. Even though he won four more championships, the Majorcan athlete attended the Asian tour with knee troubles, which presented serious complications when he had to play against Roger Federer, number two in the ATP ranking, during the finals played in the Shanghai tournament.  

It seems like a six week vacation wasn’t enough for the number one-ranked tennis player who had to take rest several times last year. For example, Nadal had to quit after his loss against Belgium player David Goffin during the London Masters tournament. Nadal also had to call it quits in Paris, where the athlete had to withdraw during the quarterfinals.  

Australia Open is the first of four Grand Slams during the year organized by ATP. The others are Wimbledon, in Great Britain, which is played on grass, Roland-Garros which is a clay-court in France, and the US Open, which is played on a hard floored court like the one used at the Australian Open.

Latin American Post | Jesus Mihail Koyoc Ku

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