Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has sent a message of support to Rafael Nadal after he announced that he had withdrawn from the Australian Open this month. The Spaniard has sustained a muscle tear but insisted that it is a different injury to the problem that has kept him sidelined for approximately a year.
Nadal returned to the court this week at the Brisbane International after undergoing surgery on a hip flexor injury that prevented him from competing for 12 months. The 37-year-old cruised to victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler after returning to the court before tasting defeat at the hands of Jordan Thompson.
During the defeat, Nadal was given a medical timeout and struggled with an injury for the remainder of the clash. As a result, he has opted to withdraw from the Australian Open so that he can return to Spain and seek help from his doctor and rest.
A heartfelt message was shared by Nadal on his Instagram, and Alcaraz was among those to respond. He replied: “We are waiting for you in the next tournament Rafa! Get well soon!”
