A month after being injured, exactly 29 days, Rafael Nadal returned to rallying on the court after the physical mishap suffered during the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, when he defeated Carlos Alcaraz and suffered a crack in a rib that would separate him from activity, according to his trusted doctor, Ángel Ruiz Cotorro, “from four to six weeks”. The Majorcan, who will turn 36 on June 3, is meeting the recovery deadlines and this Monday he published some snapshots in which he is seen training on clay.
“After four weeks without stepping on a tennis court, today a light first training session. What an illusion to set foot on earth again!”, transmitted the champion of 21 majors, separated from the circuit since last March 21, when despite playing seriously diminished, he was close to beating the American Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final . The next day, the communication team of the Balearic reported that he had suffered “a stress crack of the third left costal arch” and that he would miss the start of the European tour on sand.
Nadal could not attend the Montecarlo Masters nor will he be able to intervene this week at the Godó in Barcelona; however, if he maintains the progression he could reappear at the beginning of May (from the 1st to the 8th) at the Caja Mágica in Madrid. His environment confirms to this newspaper that this Monday he completed “his first training session with a racket” and that “the evolution is positive”, although the tennis player rejoins with lead feet since a rib fissure is always treacherous and is located in an area especially delicate for the practice of tennis.
Nadal’s objective is to get ready for Roland Garros, which begins on May 22 in Paris, and if his body responds adequately, he will prepare the assault on the Madrid and Rome events. The Mallorcan does not want to rush, but he does not want to give up more ground either. Despite his absence and this latest setback, he is still the best player of the season, as determined by the Race (annual race); He is ahead of the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, recent champion in Monte Carlo, and Alcaraz, third.
Currently, Nadal is number four in the ATP and before getting injured he conquered the Melbourne tournament, the Australian Open and Acapulco. His 2022, which he entered immersed in a sea of doubts due to his chronic injury to his left foot, translates into 20 wins and only one loss.
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