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Tennis great Rafael Nadal has slipped out of the ATP top 10 for the first time since 2005 as he continues his battles with injuries.
Tennis great Rafael Nadal has slipped out of the ATP top 10 for the first time since 2005 as he continues his battles with injuries.
The Spaniard who has now fallen to 13th in the world has not played competitively since the Australian Open and was forced to skip the Indian Wells last week as he continues to recover from a hip injury.
The 22-time grand slam champion spent 912 weeks in the top 10, a record for the men’s game.
Current world number one Carlos Alcaraz was only one year old when Nadal first broke into the top 10.
However, Nadal’s stay outside the top rankings may be short-lived, with the 36-year-old eyeing a return in time for the clay court season.
He has posted multiple pictures and videos of himself on social media in recent weeks practising on clay courts.
If fit, Nadal will likely be the favourite for the French Open, which begins on May 28, and he will be focused on a return for the warm-up event in Monte Carlo next month.
Nadal’s current injury is the latest in a long list that has hampered him throughout his career, with his fitness woes only becoming more frequent over the past two years.
It’s a testament to his grit and determination that he’s still operating and feared at the highest level.
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