"Can't lie to myself and to thousands of fans": Rafael Nadal withdraws from Indian Wells 2024 a day before opening match

Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells a day before his opening match.

Nadal was set to resume his 2024 campaign at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells after an injury setback at the Brisbane International in January. The Spaniard’s opening-round match was scheduled against former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic for Thursday, March 7.

However, on March 6, Rafael Nadal announced that he won’t be able to take the court.

“It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this amazing tournament,” he said, as per the tournament’s official website.

To get some practice under his belt before the actual tournament, the three-time tournament champion reached the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in the last week of February itself. In his latest statement, Nadal said that while he intended to compete for the title, he did not feel “ready” to play at the highest level.

“Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love to play here at Indian Wells. That’s also one of the reasons why I came very early to the desert to practice and try to get ready. I have been working hard and practicing and you all know I took a test this weekend but I don’t find myself ready to play at the highest level at such an important event,” he added.

Rafael Nadal noted that the decision was not easy given his fondness for the tournament.

“It is not an easy decision, it’s a tough one as a matter of fact but I can’t lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans. I will miss you all and I am sure the tournament will be a great success.”

The 22-time Grand Slam champion will be replaced by lucky loser Sumit Nagal, who will contest the opener against Raonic.

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Rafael Nadal participated in The Netflix Slam with Carlos Alcaraz just days before Indian Wells 2024 withdrawal

The two Spaniards pictured at The Netflix Slam on March 3, 2024

Just days before the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Rafael Nadal headlined a highly-anticipated exhibition event titled, “The Netflix Slam,” with compatriot, two-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The match, which took place on Sunday, March 3 in Las Vegas, saw the younger Spaniard conquer the veteran in the deciding tiebreak 3-6, 6-4, (14-12).

During the match, former tennis player David Ferrer, who was one of the Spanish commentators, reportedly hinted that former World No. 1 suffered a contracture after he arrived in California.

The 37-year-old hasn’t announced his place of return following his Indian Wells withdrawal. He, however, does not feature in the Miami Open entry list and is thus expected to resume his campaign on clay ahead of the French Open, which is his most successful tournament.