Rafael Nadal pulls out of Australian Open 2024 due to muscle tear injury

Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Australian Open 2024 due to a muscle tear

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Australian Open 2024 on Sunday, January 7, 2024, due to a muscle tear. Nadal had earlier announced in December 2023 that he would be making his comeback to the professional tour with the Australian Open 2024. Nadal last participated in the Australian Open 2023 and announced a break ahead of the French Open 2023. He participated in Brisbane International as part of his preparation for the Australian Open, but lost in the quarterfinal against Jordon Thompson in a three-setter. 

Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried. Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news.
Right… pic.twitter.com/WpApfzjf3C

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 7, 2024

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, last won the Australian Open title in 2022 when he beat Danil Medvedev in a five-set thriller. It was the same year when Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia because he did not get the Covid-19 vaccine shots. 

Nadal, 37, who has won the Australian Open twice with the first title in 2009, said that the injury this time is a micro tear, which was confirmed by an MRI scan in Melbourne and that is why he is leaving for Spain. He also said that the fresh injury has nothing to do with the previous injury which kept him out of the tennis world for nearly one year. 

Rafael Nadal career statistics in Grand Slam Finals till 2019

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2005	French Open	Clay	Mariano Puerta	6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
Win	2006	French Open (2)	Clay	Roger Federer	1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Loss	2006	Wimbledon	Grass	Roger Federer	0–6, 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2), 3–6
Win	2007	French Open (3)	Clay	Roger Federer	6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss	2007	Wimbledon	Grass	Roger Federer	6–7(7–9), 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 2–6
Win	2008	French Open (4)	Clay	Roger Federer	6–1, 6–3, 6–0
Win	2008	Wimbledon	Grass	Roger Federer	6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7
Win	2009	Australian Open	Hard	Roger Federer	7–5, 3–6, 7–6(7–3), 3–6, 6–2
Win	2010	French Open (5)	Clay	Robin Söderling	6–4, 6–2, 6–4
Win	2010	Wimbledon (2)	Grass	Tomáš Berdych	6–3, 7–5, 6–4
Win	2010	US Open	Hard	Novak Djokovic	6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Win	2011	French Open (6)	Clay	Roger Federer	7–5, 7–6(7–3), 5–7, 6–1
Loss	2011	Wimbledon	Grass	Novak Djokovic	4–6, 1–6, 6–1, 3–6
Loss	2011	US Open	Hard	Novak Djokovic	2–6, 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 1–6
Loss	2012	Australian Open	Hard	Novak Djokovic	7–5, 4–6, 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 5–7
Win	2012	French Open (7)	Clay	Novak Djokovic	6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 7–5
Win	2013	French Open (8)	Clay	David Ferrer	6–3, 6–2, 6–3
Win	2013	US Open (2)	Hard	Novak Djokovic	6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Loss	2014	Australian Open	Hard	Stan Wawrinka	3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win	2014	French Open (9)	Clay	Novak Djokovic	3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4
Loss	2017	Australian Open	Hard	Roger Federer	4–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win	2017	French Open (10)	Clay	Stan Wawrinka	6–2, 6–3, 6–1
Win	2017	US Open (3)	Hard	Kevin Anderson	6–3, 6–3, 6–4
Win	2018	French Open (11)	Clay	Dominic Thiem	6–4, 6–3, 6–2
Loss	2019	Australian Open	Hard	Novak Djokovic	3–6, 2–6, 3–6
Win	2019	French Open (12)	Clay	Dominic Thiem	6–3, 5–7, 6–1, 6–1
Win	2019	US Open (4)	Hard	Daniil Medvedev	7–5, 6–3, 5–7, 4–6, 6–4