Rafael Nadal set to resume training following injury-related Australian Open 2024 withdrawal: Reports

According to recent reports, Rafael Nadal is all set to resume tennis training following his withdrawal from the 2024 Australian Open due to a new hip injury.

Nadal has been facing challenges Down Under for quite some time, with a similar injury in Melbourne last year leading to his absence for most of the 2023 season. The Spaniard made a gradual recovery and returned to action at the 2024 Brisbane International.

Nadal triumphed over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler in the first two rounds in Brisbane. However, his run came to an end at the hands of Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.

In the match against Thompson, Nadal took an off-court medical break as he experienced pain in the same area where he had surgery last year. A day later, he said via social media platforms that he had to pull out of the upcoming Australian Open as an MRI had revealed a micro tear in his hip muscles.

The Mallorcan then flew back to Spain and visited Dr. Angel Ruiz Cotorro in Madrid. According to a report by the Spanish publication Diario de Mallorca, he now intends to rest for a week before getting back to training for the remainder of the season. The injury, as per the report, is not serious.

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Rafael Nadal's Australian Open 2024 absence is "horrible for fans," says Barbara Schett

Rafael Nadal pictured at the 2024 Brisbane International

Former Austrian tennis pro Barbara Schett weighed in on Rafael Nadal's 2024 Australian Open absence in a recent interview with Eurosport. She said it was "horrible" for fans who have been waiting almost a year to see their idol at a Grand Slam tournament.

"We will not see him at the Australian Open, which is horrible for the fans," Schett said. "Of course, tennis fans have been waiting for him for so long, for the fans in Melbourne and also for the tournament. It's really, really tough news, especially knowing that this is going to be his last year."

However, Schett said she understood why the Spaniard had to skip the Melbourne Slam. She pointed out that he wouldn't want to jeopardize his claycourt campaign, particularly the French Open and the Olympics in Paris.

"We won't see him back here on the court at the Australian Open, but I do understand that he wants to make sure that his body is fit. We know that he puts the emphasis on the clay-court season. He wants to play well there, he wants to be fit and healthy. He wants to compete in the Olympics as well, so he has to rest up," she said.