FILE– Spain’s Rafael Nadal before receiving medical attention during his second round match against Mackenzie Mcdonald of the U.S in the Australian Open. REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
The following is a list of major injuries Rafa Nadal has suffered during his 21-year career that have caused him to miss or withdraw from Grand Slams:
2003: Elbow injury
Nadal injures his elbow in a fall while training and is forced to postpone his French Open debut.
2004: Stress fracture in ankle
Nadal’s French Open debut is delayed yet again after a left ankle fracture forces him to skip most of the claycourt swing as well as Wimbledon.
2006: Foot injury
Nadal is forced to skip the Australian Open having not played since winning the Madrid Masters in October 2005. He returns to action in February.
2009: Tendonitis in the knees
Nadal suffers his first loss at the French Open to eventual runner-up Robin Soderling and then reveals he was playing with knee pain for several months due to tendonitis in both knees, which also forces him to miss Wimbledon.
2012: Tendonitis in the knee
After a second round loss at Wimbledon, Nadal opts not to defend his Olympic title in London due to tendonitis. He eventually sits out the rest of the season, missing the U.S. Open.
2013: Stomach virus
Nadal delays his comeback after skipping the Australian Open due to a stomach virus which he said did not let him practice in the build-up to the year’s first Grand Slam.
2014: Wrist injury, appendix surgery
Nadal is unable to defend his U.S. Open crown due to a wrist injury. He makes a comeback in September but ends his season a month later to undergo surgery for his appendix.
2016: Wrist injury
Spain’s Rafael Nadal gives a press conference to annonce his withdrawal from the French Open at the Roland Garros 2016 French Tennis Open in Paris on May 27, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL MEDINA
Nadal withdraws midway through the French Open due to a wrist injury which also forces him to skip Wimbledon. He makes his return at the Rio Olympics where he wins a gold medal in the doubles.
2020: COVID-19 pandemic
Nadal is unable to defend his U.S. Open crown for a second time in his career as he opts not to travel for the American swing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: Foot injury
Nadal skips the Olympics and Wimbledon after consultations with his team in a bid to prolong his career, before ending his season 10 days before the U.S. Open due to a niggling left foot issue that had been troubling him for a year.
2022: Abdominal tear
Tennis – Wimbledon July 6, 2022 Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts during his quarter final match against Taylor Fritz of the U.S. REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
Nadal reaches the semi-finals at Wimbledon but withdraws ahead of his highly-anticipated showdown with Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal strain.
2023: Hip injury
Nadal does not play a single match after his second-round Australian Open exit and misses the entire claycourt swing due to a hip injury.
He is forced to miss the French Open which he has won a record 14 times in his career, including the 2022 title.