WASHINGTON, May 18, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

Defending champion Rafael Nadal will miss this year’s French Open for the first time in 18 years, since he won the first of his record 14 titles at Roland Garros in his tournament debut in 2005, saying “it’s impossible to play Roland-Garros.”

The 36-year-old Nadal made his announcement during a 40-minute news conference in Spanish, English and Catalan at his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain, Thursday afternoon.

The former World No. 1 has been sidelined by an injured left hip flexor since January, when he lost in the second round of the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald. Nadal has played just four matches this season, going 1-3. He is currently ranked 14th.

“Not playing Roland-Garros is not my decision, it’s my body’s decision,” said Nadal, the King of Clay, who has compiled a 112-3 lifetime record at the clay-court major. “I was working as much as possible every single day for the last four months. We were not able to find the solution to the problem we had in Australia. …

“Today I’m still in a position that I am not able to feel myself ready to compete at the standards that I need to be to play at Roland Garros. I am not the guy that is going to be at Roland Garros and just try to be there and put myself in a position that I don’t like to be [in].”

Rafa,

We can’t imagine how hard this decision was. We’ll definitely miss you at this year’s Roland-Garros. Take care of yourself to come back stronger on courts.

Hoping to see you next year in Paris 🧡 pic.twitter.com/lTN3GExBFo

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 18, 2023

The 22-time major titlist will take an extended break from tennis in order to heal properly with an eye toward being able to play in the Davis Cup later this year. Nadal said he will try to come back for one final season in 2024 “to try to say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important to me in my tennis career.”

Nadal said he didn’t have the intention to play during the next few months. “At a personal level, day to day work, things are difficult. …

“At the personal level, it’s difficult to live being depraved for what’s a big part of your life. …

“After the pandemic, I was not able to enjoy the practices and the competitions. Too many problems, too many times. Too many days practicing with too much pain. And to stop for a while. I don’t know when I will return to the practice court. One, two, three months, I don’t know. I am following my personal feelings. I really think it’s the right thing to do for my body and my personal happiness.”

😔 No Roland-Garros
💔 No Rafa for the next few months

See you back on court when you’re ready, @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/zW4jKiB7xq

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 18, 2023

Nadal stated he did not want to put himself in a position to say one thing and do another thing.

“My idea is that next year is my last in professional tennis. I want to be competitive. The chances are higher if I stop now,” he said. …

“It’s difficult to predict what’s going on; how my body is going to be. … I let all the options open and see what’s the best calendar possible. I want to play the last tournaments important for me like the Olympics. I hope to be there. Will it be my last tournament? I don’t know.”

One thing’s certain, Nadal said: “Tournaments stay forever. Players play and leave, so Roland Garros will be always Roland Garros with or without me, without a doubt.

“The tournament is going to keep being the best event in the world of clay and there is going to be one Roland Garros champion. It’s not going to be me, [there is] going to be another one and that’s life.”