Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he is pulling out of the French Open because of a lingering hip injury that has sidelined him since January.
The owner of a record 14 championships at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament will miss it for the first time. He made his debut there in 2005.
Nadal delivered the news of his withdrawal during a news conference at his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨 For the first time since 2004, Rafael Nadal will not compete at #RolandGarros. 😢
The 14-time French Open champion has been sidelined with a hip injury since the Australian Open.
— TENNIS (@Tennis) May 18, 2023
"My ambition is to stop to give myself an opportunity to enjoy next year," says Nadal. "Next year is probably going to be my last on the professional tour."
Doesn't 100% confirm that 2024 will be his last, but he wants to "say goodbye" to his tour stops. https://t.co/WTi4EpXqPO
— TENNIS (@Tennis) May 18, 2023
