Rafael Nadal withdraws from 2023 BNP Paribas Open with injury

Andrew L. John, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·1 min read
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Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a shot to Taylor Fritz of the United States during the ATP singles final at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif., Sunday, March 20, 2022.
Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a shot to Taylor Fritz of the United States during the ATP singles final at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif., Sunday, March 20, 2022.
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Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open, the tournament announced Tuesday morning.

Nadal, the eighth-ranked player in the world and a 22-time Grand Slam champion, has not played since leaving the Australian Open with a leg injury following a loss to American Mackenzie McDonald in January.

An MRI later revealed “a grade 2 lesion in the Iliacus Psoas of his left leg,” which typically takes around 6-8 weeks to heal.

There was hope that Nadal, 36, could return to the ATP Tour in time to play in the Indian Wells event which begins March 6. That hope intensified Monday when Nadal was spotted on clay courts at Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.

2023 BNP Paribas Open tennis at Indian Wells: Tickets, parking, food, schedule and more

Instead, it now appears that Nadal is likely preparing to return for the spring clay court season.

“We wish Rafa continued healing, and hope to see him back at the BNP Paribas Open next year,” tournament director Tommy Haas said.

Nadal, a three-time singles champion at Indian Wells, reached the final last year before losing to American Taylor Fritz. Nadal’s run in the California desert led to the best start to a season in his professional tennis career, winning 20 matches before his first loss.

Nadal also talked in an exclusive interview with The Desert Sun last year about how much he enjoys coming to the Coachella Valley to play golf — a hobby he’ll have to skip this spring.

The BNP Paribas Open will run from March 6-19 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Andrew John covers the BNP Paribas Open for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: BNP Paribas Open: Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal withdraws from Indian Wells