Rafael Nadal Withdraws from Indian Wells, Graciously Signs Autographs for Fans
Rafael Nadal recently withdrew from the 2024 Indian Wells Masters because he was not ready to compete at the highest level. He expressed his gratitude to his devoted fans by signing autographs for them.On Wednesday, March 6, Nadal announced that he was not yet fit enough to compete at the highest level and withdrew from the tournament.
The 37-year-old, originally set to face Milos Raonic in the first round, was replaced by world number 101 Sumit Nagal. Despite the cancellation, the Spaniard did not forget to acknowledge his fans and signed autographs for them. The 22-time Grand Slam champion last played at the 2024 Brisbane International where he reached the quarter-finals before losing to Jordan Thompson.
In addition, he suffered a hip injury in the match, which forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open and the subsequent Middle East swing. BNP Paribas Open tournament director Tommy Haas released a statement apologizing for Rafael Nadal’s absence.
Haas did his best. wished the Spaniard a speedy recovery and said he hoped to see him compete again at Indian Wells in the future. Nadal has competed in just two tournaments since 2017 and was a losing finalist at Indian Wells two years ago..
