Nadal pulls out of Madrid in worrying French Open blow

Spain’s Rafael Nadal receives medical treatment at the Australian Open. pic: James Ross/EPA

MADRID, AFP: Rafael Nadal said Thursday he will miss the Madrid Masters tournament later this month as he continues his recovery from a hip injury, a significant blow to his French Open preparations.

“For the moment I’ve missed Monte Carlo and Barcelona. And unfortunately I won’t be able to be in Madrid either,” Nadal said on Instagram.

“The injury still hasn’t healed,” he added. The 36-year-old Spaniard has not played since losing in the second round of the Australian Open in January.

Nadal is hoping for a record-extending 15th French Open title at Roland Garros in May, but his hip flexor problem he suffered in Melbourne has badly disrupted his run up to the tournament.

The 22-time Grand Slam singles champion – he shares the men’s record with Novak Djokovic – had originally thought he would be out for up to two months.

He 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, but it did not come to fruition.

The French Open starts on 28 May.