Rafael Nadal has decided not to participate in the upcoming Qatar Open, which is another setback in his comeback journey.
The tournament in Doha was scheduled to start on February 19, but the 22-time Grand Slam champion, who recently made an attempt to return to the court after a long break, will remain out of action.
In a statement, Nadal mentioned that he is now focusing on an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas in March, as well as the Indian Wells tournament later in the same month.
His post read: “I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly.
“Unfortunately, I am not ready to compete, and I won’t be able to come to Doha, where I really wanted to be, and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014.
“I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament.”y
Nadal had been sidelined for a year due to a persistent hip issue, but he made his comeback at the Brisbane International in January.
He managed to reach the quarter-finals after winning two matches, but unfortunately, he suffered a muscle tear near his hip during his match against Jordan Thompson.
As a result of this setback, Nadal, who was once ranked as the world No. 1, had to withdraw from the Australian Open just a week before the Grand Slam tournament began.
Although he had initially mentioned that he would make a last-minute decision about participating in the Qatar Open, it was widely expected that he would prioritize the upcoming clay season, which includes the highly anticipated Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
