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During the semi-finals of Indian Wells, Nadal seemed uncomfortable in his clash with Alcaraz. As the game progressed into the third set, Nadal was seemingly clutching his chest and constantly stretching it out. He even called the trainer to assess the damage, although he did continue to play and ultimately won the match. Then came the finals, where he lost to Taylor Fritz in a fairly tight two-setter.
In the Fritz game, Nadal certainly looked out of sorts. He wasn’t swinging through the serve as normal, and his groundstrokes were lacking the usual venom too. But in typical Nadal fashion, he didn’t complain. He just continued with the match, battling as he has done throughout his career.
However, upon his return to Spain, he has undergone some medical checks. The results show that things are not looking too good right now for the 21-time Grand Slam champion.
What Is the Extent of Nadal’s Injury?
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As many Rafa fans had feared following his Indian Wells run, he has sustained an injury that will keep him off the tour for a while. I’ve provided all you need to know regarding the injury right here.
Actual Injury – Rib Stress Fracture
Although it seemed like Nadal had some discomfort in the chest at Indian Wells, it turns out the injury is in his rib. To be specific, he has a left rib stress fracture, as determined by doctors upon his return to Spain. This was a bit of a shock to be honest, as a stress fracture in the ribs must be extremely painful. Yet the fact that he still played on and finished his games in Indian Wells shows what a true champion he is.
Rest Time – 4-6 Weeks
Here is where the news gets a little rough for Rafa and his millions of fans. With a stress fracture in the ribs, recovery can be tricky. Essentially, he needs to rest as much as physically possible, and the rib will assumingly heal on its own. But the timeframe that doctors have given for this is 4-6 weeks. This means that Nadal will miss most of the clay-court season, which is, of course, his favorite and most successful part of the ATP calendar.
This is a real shame, and it’s not something that anyone wanted to see. However, if recovery goes well, he may be back in time for some of the later clay court events.
Potential Return to the Tour
In all honesty, the most realistic return date that I can see for Nadal is May 2022. The Madrid Open starts at the very beginning of May. And I am sure that Nadal will be setting his sights on this event. But in case he isn’t quite fit for this one, the Rome Open takes place the following week. Of course, both of these events are Masters 1000 competitions, and Rafa has been quite successful at both throughout his career.
With this said, fortunately, the French Open is still over 2 months away. So Nadal should still be good to go for his favorite Grand Slam.
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