Tennis, Rafa Nadal away from the fields and under the surgeon’s knife: the former number 1 underwent hip surgery

Rafa Nadal had never experienced a birthday like this, away from the fields and under the surgeon’s knife, except at the beginning of his career, when in 2004 a leg problem prevented him from making his debut at Roland Garros, where from the following year until as of 2022 it has triumphed 14 times.

The former world number 1 turns 37 today – Happy birthday! – but he is not in Paris as usual, ready to blow out the candles on the cake that the organization was offering him in the press room. As he himself confirmed, yesterday in Barcelona he underwent arthroscopic surgery performed by doctors Philippon, Vilarò and Ruiz Cotorro to try to solve the problem with the ilio psoas muscle that is holding him down since the Australian Open. When announcing his withdrawal from Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he had spoken of a long break (2, 3 or 4 months) but without setting a period for returning. If his physique allows it, he will try to be there in the autumn for the Davis Cup, but the real goal is to start again in 2024 – his last year as a player – in a competitive way. More detailed news on the intervention and on the state of the injury of the Spanish champion is expected today.