Rafael Nadal has announced that he will withdraw from Indian Wells due to not being sufficiently prepared to compete at his peak level. He describes this decision as a difficult one.
The champion of 22 grand slam singles titles has not participated in tournaments since sustaining a muscle injury in Brisbane last January. He planned to resume his tour at Indian Wells, facing Canada’s Milos Raonic in the first round on Friday. Yet, in a social media post, the 37-year-old announced that he is still unable to compete.
“I am deeply disappointed to announce that I will not be participating in the incredible Indian Wells tournament,” he stated. “My affection for this location and my immense enjoyment in playing here are widely known. These are also the main reasons I arrived early to the desert to train and prepare.”
I have been putting in a lot of effort and practicing, and as you are all aware, I recently took a test this weekend. However, I do not feel confident in my abilities to compete at the highest level for such an important event. This was a difficult decision to make, but I cannot deceive myself or the many fans. I will be absent, and I am confident that the tournament will be a triumph.
Nadal has been replaced in the draw by India’s world No 101 Sumit Nagal. The Spaniard made his comeback at the Brisbane International in January after spending a year on the sidelines due to a long-term hip problem. The Spaniard sustained a muscle tear near his hip in his quarter-final defeat to Jordan Thompson, but scans revealed it was not in the same area.
In the meantime, Andy Murray put on an impressive performance, defeating David Goffin in straight sets and advancing to the second round of the Indian Wells tournament. Although Murray had won their past seven encounters, he was struggling with his form and had recently announced his possible retirement from tennis after this summer. However, after his proclamation in Dubai, the three-time grand-slam winner seemed revitalized and delivered one of his strongest performances this year, winning by a comfortable 6-3 6-2 margin. He will now face Andrey Rublev in the last-64 round.
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In a closely contested first set, Murray had to wait for an opportunity after Goffin successfully defended a break point in the opening game. Only when Murray was leading 4-3 was he able to finally break Goffin’s serve. He went on to secure his first break of the match in the eighth game, ending the set with two aces and winning the last 10 points in just 34 minutes.
The Briton had the momentum on their side, and a double-fault by Goffin gave them an early lead in the second set. The player ranked 61st in the world continued to put pressure on Goffin’s serve, and they secured a second break, bringing them one step closer to reaching the last-64. Finally, they sealed their spot in the last-64 with a well-placed ace.
British player Jack Draper was disappointed after losing a three-set match to Chris O’Connell.
