Injured Rafael Nadal will miss Indian Wells, Miami events

FILE – In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain’s Rafael Nadal answers questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his quarterfinal against Croatia’s Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. Rafael Nadal will miss the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami tournaments because of a lingering right hip injury. Nadal made the announcement Friday, March 2, 2018, on Facebook. (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)

NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal will miss the upcoming Indian Wells and Miami tournaments because of a lingering right hip injury.

Nadal made the announcement Friday on Facebook. He withdrew from the Mexico Open before his first match on Wednesday, saying he needed more time to recover.

He wrote Friday “the injury I suffered in Acapulco before starting the tournament is the same area as the one suffered in Melbourne.”

The second-ranked Spanish star hasn’t played since retiring in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in late January.

Last year, Nadal lost to Roger Federer in the fourth round at Indian Wells and in the final at Miami.