Nadal not ready to play yet due to back issue, skips Dubai event

FILE PHOTO: Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 17, 2021 Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action during his quarter final match against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

Rafa Nadal will not compete at next week’s ATP 500 event in Dubai as he has not recovered fully from a back issue sustained ahead of the Australian Open, the world No.2 said on Thursday.

Nadal struggled with the problem in the build-up to the year’s first Grand Slam and skipped Spain’s ATP Cup ties but still managed to reach the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park without dropping a set before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The 34-year-old 20-times Grand Slam champion has not played since that defeat and was awarded a wild card to compete at the March 14-20 tournament in Dubai.

I would like to thank the @DDFTennis for the wild card invitation sent to me. We seriously thought about coming to play, but I don’t think I am ready to play yet.
Once again thanks to the tournament’s kind invitation and best of luck with the tournament
🙏

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 11, 2021

“I would like to thank the @DDFTennis for the wild card invitation sent to me,” Nadal said on Twitter.

“We seriously thought about coming to play, but I don’t think I am ready to play yet.”

Nadal is still entered at the Miami Open, an ATP 1000 event to be held from March 24-April 4.