A Fractured Rib Ends Nadal's Flawless Season

After seeing his 2022 unbeaten streak come to an end on Sunday, Rafael Nadal had worse news waiting for him once he flew home to Spain. The Australian Open champion announced via Twitter that the discomfort and pain he experienced during his loss to Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final was diagnosed as a stress fracture to a rib. He’ll be out for the next 4-6 weeks, meaning his French Open participation looks doubtful.

For Nadal—and his fans—this is shattering news, as the clay season, which commences in 3 weeks, is the part of the tennis year when Nadal hits his stride; and which, more often than not, ends with him hoisting the trophy at Roland Garros. This year, of course, things are different. A near-miraculous hardcourt season yielded a 20-match winning streak, the longest of his career—before, his body betrayed him once more.

After long, grueling matches against hard-servers like Reilly Opelka and Nick Kyrgios, Nadal needed medical attention during his semi-final match with 18 year-old Carlos Acaraz for what appeared to be a pectoral issue. Though he won in 3 hard-fought sets, there was little time to recover for the final the next day. Taylor Fritz, who had an ankle injury of his own, played a smart, fearless match, and wholly deserved to win. But Nadal, it was clear from the start, was a shadow of himself. After the match, sitting courtside, he put his head in his hands, looking gaunt and distressed. He confessed in the subsequent press conference that breathing difficulty and feeling generally unwell were more the culprits than the disappointement of the loss.

Nadal has famously referred to ‘suffering’ as an abiding ingredient in his long, injury-prone career. Despite enjoying a nearly flawless start to the tennis year, more suffering, it seems, looms ahead for the 21-time Grand Slam title winner.

Image credit: AP/Andy Brownbill