Rafael Nadal withdraws from Brisbane International but says he’ll be ready for Australian Open

RAFAEL Nadal apologised to his Queensland fans after confirming he wasn’t ready to play the Brisbane International next week but vowed to continue his preparations for the Australian Open.

LONDON, ENGLAND — NOVEMBER 11: Rafael Nadal of Spain shows his frustration during a training session prior to the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

RAFAEL Nadal will be walking the injury tightrope ahead of next month’s Australian Open after his withdrawal from the Brisbane International.

Nadal confirmed on Thursday he was not ready to play the Brisbane International next week but vowed to press on with his plans to take his place as the Australian Open’s top seed, citing an arrival in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Nadal’s withdrawal leaves Brisbane International organisers sweating on the arrival of Andy Murray to add star power to the tournament, which starts Sunday.

I am sorry to announce I won’t be coming to Brisbane this year. My intention was to play but I am still not ready after last year’s long season and the late start of my preparation.
I had a great time there and it was a great start to the month I spent in Australia

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 27, 2017

Murray remains under a fitness cloud of his own but arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday to step up his training schedule ahead of the Australian summer.

The dual Wimbledon champion will test himself against elite practice partners playing an exhibition in Middle East over the next 48 hours to determine if his fitness is advanced enough to allow him to play a tournament in Brisbane.

Nadal has scheduled an evening of Fast4 matches in Sydney on January 8 before the Australian Open starts on January 15.

Rafa Nadal is not ready for the Brisbane International

The world No.1, who also pulled out of his most recent tournament in November with a right knee injury, would be loath to play a Grand Slam event without lead-up matches.

The hardcourt surface of the Australia Open and its best-of-five set format makes it even more arduous, even for a player as tough as Nadal.

“I am sorry to announce I won’t be coming to Brisbane this year. I had a great time there and it was a great start to the month I spent in Australia,’’ Nadal tweeted.

Brisbane tournament director Cameron Pearson said Nadal’s representatives advised him of the 31-year-old’s withdrawal on Thursday yesterday morning.

I will be seeing my Aussie fans when I land on the 4th in Melbourne and start there my preparation for the Australian Open.

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 27, 2017

Murray plans to practice until Saturday in Abu Dhabi before flying on to Brisbane but much depends on how he feels he moves and practises there over two days of training.

Nadal’s withdrawal will see world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov promoted to top seed and the 2016 Brisbane champion Milos Raonic elevated to fourth seed, giving him a first-round bye at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Raonic was outspoken about the length of the men’s season after he was one of the 2016 year-end top-five, a group which included Murray, who all had to sit out the final month or more of the ATP schedule dur to injuries.

The Canadian said the ATP season should ideally finish in mid-September with the US Open, instead of in early November with the ATP Finals.

Andy Murray has ramped up preparation for the Australian summer in Abu Dhadi.

His view was backed up by women’s world No.9 Johanna Konta, who contests the Brisbane International coming off an injury to her left foot which ended her bid to qualify for the year-end WTA Finals.

“The tour does take the toll on the body and I’m sure he (Nadal) is doing everything to be here and be healthy,’’ Konta said at Kangaroo Point.

“Tennis is unique in that we have an incredibly long season which definitely takes its toll through the year.

“I don’t know the workings of how things can be working better. I’m sure the WTA and the ATP for that matter are constantly looking at it because without players there is no sport really.”

Nadal played 17 tournaments last year, a hefty workload with the physicality of his game, and was critical of the scheduling of men’s tennis as far back as 2009.

Raonic, who had wrist surgery in August, hit at Pat Rafter Arena yesterday after a flight from Melbourne, where he had been training.

“I am disappointed for Rafa and we wish him all the best that he will be ready for Melbourne,” said Pearson, who loses the drawcard responsible for three 5500-seat sellouts for his three matches last year.

Originally published as Rafael Nadal withdraws from Brisbane International but says he’ll be ready for Australian Open