Rafael Nadal declares he is “not ready to compete at the highest level” and withdraws from Indian Wells.
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Indian Wells, and fortunate loser Sumit Nagal takes his place in the main event. Over 80 tournaments a year, including the US Open, are only available to watch live on Sky Sports Tennis.
On Wednesday night, just before his first-round match in Indian Wells, Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal, stating he was “not ready to compete at the greatest level.”
After missing nearly a year due to a hip flexor injury, the 37-year-old Spaniard resumed competition in Brisbane in January. However, he was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open due to another tear in his muscle.
He was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in a Las Vegas exhibition tournament on Sunday, but he appeared ready to challenge for a fourth championship in the California desert until withdrawing before his bout with Milos Raonic, a Canadian.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion released a statement saying, “I have to withdraw from this magnificent tournament with tremendous sadness.”
“Everyone is aware of my passion for Indian Wells and how much I like playing here.
That’s also one of the reasons I arrived in the desert early in order to prepare and practice.
“I took a test this past weekend, and as you are all aware, I have been training and working hard, but I don’t think I’m ready to play at my best at such a significant tournament.
“I can’t lie to the thousands of admirers and to myself—it’s not a simple decision—in fact, it’s a tough one. I know the competition will be a huge success, and I will miss you all very much.”
Sumit Nagal, the lucky loser who will be the first Indian in the main draw of an ATP Masters 1000 event since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in Miami in 2019, will take Rafael Nadal’s position.
You are attempting to view a video that is not available from your current location or country.
In Las Vegas, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal engaged in the first-ever Netflix Slam exhibition match.
Fans will now have access to tennis programming around-the-clock thanks to Sky Sports Tennis on Sky and NOW, which has been confirmed as the new home for tennis in the UK and Ireland.
More live tennis than any other platform will be available on Sky Sports, with over 4,000 matches from over 80 tournaments on the ATP and WTA Tours each year, along with complete live coverage of the US Open.
