Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will retire this year following the conclusion of the 2024 ATP Tour season.
The 37-year-old suffered an injury during last year's Australian Open tournament and ended up sat on the doctor's table for the remainder of 2023 in a bid to be ready for a farewell tour.
Nadal jetted Down Under to make his comeback in the Brisbane International last week and reached the quarter-finals with two wins in the bag. However, he suffered a fresh injury blow that has shattered his hopes of participating in Melbourne.
RadioTimes.com brings you all the latest news about whether Rafael Nadal will play at the Australian Open 2024.
Will Rafael Nadal play at the Australian Open 2024?
No. Unfortunately, Rafael Nadal's injury has proven to be serious enough to rule him out of the Australian Open 2024.
Nadal suffered a hip injury during his clash against Jordan Thompson and soldiered on to complete the match.
However, a scan showed a small muscle tear, though not related to the long-term injury that ruled him out of the 2023 season.
Posting on social media, Nadal said: "I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in three months.
"Within the sad news for me for not being able to play in front of the amazing Melbourne crowds, this is not very bad news and we all remain positive with the evolution for the season.
"I really wanted to play in Australia and I have had the chance to play a few matches that made me very happy and positive. Thanks all for the support and see you soon!"
The issue does not appear to be a particularly nasty injury, meaning Nadal should still feature on the tour in 2024, but his participation may be limited.
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