After announcing his retirement from the final Australian Open, Nadal faced questions about his ability to compete again. The image of the Balearic talent receiving treatment during his Brisbane quarterfinal defeat to Thompson raised alarms once more, especially as he pointed to the left hip area that had troubled him for nearly a year.
Nadal also explained in a statement that he was not yet able to meet the Grand Slam’s demands. He described the injury as coming from a different region and acknowledged that it had unsettled the ghosts of past injuries. Unless there is official news, the sense is that a micro-tear in the left hip is the likely culprit. It is a minor injury by tennis standards, one that would typically require only a short break before a return to action for a player from Manacor.
Aware that any risk must be avoided, Nadal plans to reshuffle his schedule with the same goal in mind: return to peak condition for the clay-court season, with Roland Garros as the great objective.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Rafa Nadal (Rafael Nadal)
Yet the seriousness of the new injury means there is time to prepare for a return ahead of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, the first major clay event of the year. An exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz on March 3 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas will be streamed on Netflix, signaling Nadal’s ongoing visibility despite the setback.
Following that, the winter-to-spring Masters 1000 schedule unfolds with Indian Wells (March 6–17) and then Miami (March 20–31). He might even play in an early event, but everything hinges on how he feels after the latest injury flare-up.
By April, clay returns to the calendar, with a confirmed appearance at the Barcelona Open (April 15–21). Before that, Monte Carlo Masters 1000 kicks off Europe’s clay-court swing, followed by Madrid and Rome, all of which Nadal may need to skip or adjust for obvious reasons.
The sensible path seems to be a careful sequence through Barcelona and Madrid, two favorites that could also serve as a farewell note if the moment calls for it. Roland Garros remains the focal point, the stage where hopes are pinned. This marks one of two Paris stops before a potential return to competition later in the year, including the Olympic season.
Step by step
Beyond the calendar and the invitations, Nadal and his team have made one thing clear: there will be no risk taken with the health of the body. The medical team will set the pace, ensuring a return only when he is fully ready to play at the highest level.
Nadal heads home to reset his training, but there is relief that the recovery process does not require a long halt. The hardest phase has passed, and the world has already seen that Nadal can stage a comeback even after a dramatic setback.
Throughout his recovery, Nadal has stressed that a return will occur only if the body can support the effort. In his first three matches after reappearing, he demonstrated that his level remains formidable, provided his physical condition allows it. The measure of this comeback will be clear in the weeks ahead, as he continues to work toward a sustained, high-caliber performance. He remains a rare competitor whose talent is widely acknowledged and deeply respected.