It was supposed to be the tournament marking his return to the field, with all the fans ready to welcome him, but for Rafa Nadal, Indian Wells will just be the latest event he has missed. The former champion, in fact, announced through his official Instagram profile his withdrawal from the Californian Master 1000 late at night. The last training sessions were used by the thirty-seven-year-old to better understand his physical condition, which lately is not at its best.
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The message
In the post that appeared on Nadal's official profile, it reads: «It is with great regret that I must announce my withdrawal from this extraordinary tournament. Everyone knows how much I love playing here, and that is one of the reasons why I arrived in the desert well in advance to prepare for the competition. However, after working hard and after conducting a test last weekend, I do not feel ready to play at my maximum level in such an important tournament. It is not an easy decision, but I cannot lie to myself and to thousands of fans. I will miss you a lot and I am sure that the tournament will still be a great success».
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