Spanish Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has pulled out from miss next week's Italian Open. Nadal has been a 10-time champion at the event but ahead of this year's tournament, he has been dealing with a leg injury.
Nadal had an incredible run in his first three ATP Masters 1000 events in Italy as he won a trio of titles and a 17-match winning streak. Rafa last won the Rome title in 2021 and has a stellar 69-8 event record.
Talking about Nadal's current injury, the Spaniard got hurt in the second round of the Australian Open in January. Since then he has been majorly away from action and so far skipped the ongoing Madrid Open and hasn't played in major tournaments at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
Addressing his absence from the upcoming Italian Open, Nadal penned a heartfelt note expressing that he will not participate in this year's tournament. His letter on social media said, "Hello everyone! I'm so sorry to announce that I won't be able to play in Rome. You all know how much it hurts me to miss another of the tournaments that has been so important to me, both professionally and personally, because of all the affection and support of the Italian fans."
"Despite having noticed an improvement in the last few days, it has been many months since I’ve been able to train at a high level and the adaptation process takes time. All that is left for me to do is accept it and keep working. Best wishes to everyone."
