Rafael Nadal out for 4-6 weeks with a stress fracture
Rafael Nadal will be out of action for between four and six weeks, having sustained a rib fracture in his semi-final victory over compatriot Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells on Saturday.
Nadal suffered with breathing difficulties during the Indian Wells finalNadal won the game, but complained of breathing difficulties and dizziness in Sunday’s final against Taylor Fritz, which he lost 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
This was the Spaniard’s first defeat in 2022, having won the Australian Open and Mexican Open earlier in the year, claiming a record 21st Grand Slam in the former.
His injury means he could miss both the Monte Carlo and Barcelona clay events in April, although he is likely to be back for the French Open, which is set to begin on May 22.
Speaking after the Indian Wells final, Nadal said, "It's tough for me to breathe.
When I try to breathe, it's painful and it's very uncomfortable.
"When I'm breathing, when I'm moving it's like a needle all the time inside here. I get dizzy a little bit because it's painful. It's a kind of pain that limits me a lot. It's not only about pain, I don't feel very well because it affects my breathing."
He added, "Honestly I am sad because of the way I was not able to compete.
"The thing that worries me now, it's about what's going on there, what I have to do now to recover and how long it's going to take."