Rafa Nadal has left tennis fans fearing for his fitness at the upcoming French Open, after announcing his withdrawal from the Italian Open in Rome. Fans had been buoyed by footage of Nadal from his training academy showing him appearing to be moving better than he has in months, but the 22-time grand slam champion says his body is still not ready for competition.
A hip-flexor injury sustained at the Australian Open has seen the 36-year-old Nadal sidelined ever since. Initially believed to be an injury requiring only six to eight weeks of recovery, Nadal had pulled out of hard-court tournaments in Madrid and Indian Wells in an effort to focus on the clay court swing.
