“Rafael Nadal is sadly having Federer-esque end to his career”;”He doesn’t deserve this” – Fans concerned for Spaniard after Monte-Carlo withdrawal

Despite his efforts, Rafael Nadal’s return to the ATP tour continues to face obstacles. Most recently, he has been forced to withdraw from the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters as he continues to recover from an injury.

The Spaniard made his comeback to the tour at the beginning of 2024, competing at the Brisbane International after being absent for almost a year. He had a successful start at the ATP 250 event, winning his first two matches. However, he sustained an injury during the tournament which ultimately led to his withdrawal from the Australian Open.

Despite being expected to make a comeback during the Middle East swing and Sunshine Double, Nadal ultimately did not compete in either due to not feeling physically ready to return to competitive tennis.

Unfortunately, Nadal’s comeback to the tour has been delayed once again. He recently declared his withdrawal from the Monte-Carlo Masters, set to commence on April 7. In a poignant message on X (previously known as Twitter), the Spanish player expressed that his body is still not prepared for a competitive match. He also shared how tough it was for him to make this call after putting in daily practice sessions to make his return to the tour.

Below, you will find an excerpt of Nadal’s statement for you to read:

“Hi all, these are very difficult moments for me, sporting wise. Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won’t allow me.”

“And even if I am working hard & making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can’t play today. You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events.”

Tennis enthusiasts were heartbroken to witness the 37-year-old encounter yet another obstacle on his journey to resume playing. One fan drew a comparison between the Spaniard’s recent year on the ATP tour and Roger Federer’s, noting how injuries hindered the Swiss player’s chance for a picture-perfect farewell. The statement was shared on X by the user.

“Rafael Nadal is sadly having a Federer-esque end to his career. Extended breaks, try to come back, and comebacks keep getting delayed, and they both kept wanting to come back to “finish on their terms” as the cliche goes. But, sport rarely works like that. Endings can be cruel.”

One more fan added:

“He doesn’t deserve this”

“I’m so sorry to hear that you won’t be able to compete in Monte Carlo, Rafa! 😢 You are the hardest worker and the biggest fighter I have ever seen, and I admire and respect you so much. 🙏🏽💪🏽❤️ All the best for your health. Clay without its 👑 is like the sky without its ☀️!!”a fan tweeted.

A fan speculated that Nadal is strategically preparing his body for the 2024 Roland Garros and Paris Olympics. Another person humorously pointed out that 43-year-old Venus Williams is currently playing more matches than the Spaniard.

“He should just retire instead of forcing himself to go out on such a bad way,”a fan stated.

“So is his plan basically to just delay and wait for RG and Olympics?”wrote a fan.

“83 yo Venus is playing more than him 😭😭”, a fan joked.

Many fans were disappointed to witness the ATP tour without Rafael Nadal’s signature clay swing and wished for his quick return to the court.

“Sad.. very sad. Can’t imagine clay season without Rafa. Its sad seeing your heroes withdrawing, retiring 😭😭😭,”a fan tweeted.

“Get well Rafa. We will wait to see you in action at Roland Garros hopefully if we are lucky,”said another fan.

Rafael Nadal Dominates at the Monte-Carlo Masters with 11 Titles

Rafael Nadal holds the record for the most wins in the history of the Monte-Carlo Masters, having emerged victorious 11 times. He claimed his first title in 2005 and went on to dominate the competition for eight consecutive years, defeating Roger Federer (3 times) and Novak Djokovic (2 times) in the title matches during this period.

Despite facing stiff competition, the ex-World No. 1 continued his dominance at the Monte-Carlo Masters, claiming victory in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Throughout his career, Nadal has an impressive record of 73 wins out of 79 matches in Monte-Carlo, achieving a remarkable 92% win rate.

In 2021, the Spaniard’s most recent participation was at the Monte Carlo Masters. Seeded No. 6, he emerged victorious against Federico Delbonis and Grigor Dimitrov, but ultimately fell to Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals.