Rafael Nadal will be sidelined for a further five months following surgery for the hip problem that has kept him from competing since January.
The 37-year-old Spanish tennis icon who has won 22 Grand Slams, underwent an arthroscopic procedure on Friday, June 2.
According to his handlers, everything went well, the damaged areas were repaired, and a prior injury was also fixed.
Nadal’s representative Benito Perez-Barbadillo said, “Rafa will begin his progressive functional rehabilitation in a few hours and the normal recovery process is estimated at five months”.
Rafael Nadal has reportedly stated that he plans to stop playing tennis after the 2024 season.
Nadal, who has a record 14 victories at Roland Garros, was unable to participate in this year’s French Open due to his fitness issues. He missed the Grand Slam for the first time in 19 years.
When Nadal first announced his retirement plans last month, he promised he would make an effort to prepare physically for his farewell season in 2024, when he wants to say goodbye to the competitions that have meant the most to him.
He is unlikely to join the tour this year given his most recent recuperation plan, but he might be ready for the Australian Open in January, which he has won twice.
