Nadal intends to play in Madrid: Uncle Toni

The Spaniard has not played since losing in the Indian Well final and had to pull out of this week’s Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California.

Zuma / Panoramic

April 19, 2022

Rafael Nadal is targetting a return to the tennis circuit at the Madrid Open in the first week of May, according to his uncle and former coach Toni Nadal.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion has not played since losing in the final of the Indian Wells Masters last month to American Taylor Fritz. That marked the first loss for the Spaniard in 2022 after winning his first 20 matches to enjoy the best start to the season.

However, Nadal injured his ribs during the latter stages of Indian Wells and was diganosed with a stress fracture in his rubs, which would keep him away from the courts for four to six weeks.

On Monday, Nadal posted an update on social media, saying he went back to resume light training and practice after being off the courts for four weeks in a row.

And on Tuesday, his uncle Toni Nadal, who now coaches Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, told RTVE that his nephew intends to play the Madrid Masters which begins on May 1.

“Rafa told me he intends to play in Madrid,” Toni Nadal told Spanish channel RTVE.“ There are still two weeks left to see if everything evolves correctly. If he is fit, he will play.”

Nadal is a five-time champion in Madrid, and following that he will aim for a 11th Italian Open title in Rome, before heading to Paris for the French Open. The Spaniard has won Roland-Garros 13 times, the most titles by any player in tennis history at a single Grand Slam event.