Melbourne, Jan. 24 (IANS): Spain’s Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday that he will be sidelined for three weeks due to a muscle injury in his right leg, which forced him to withdraw during an Australian Open quarter-final match.
The 31-year-old said on his Facebook account that the extent of the injury had been clarified after an MRI scan showed a first-grade lesion in his right leg muscle and that his doctors had told him he could resume working out after two weeks, reports Efe.
“Although it hurts to retire from a Grand Slam quarter-finals, the injury is not that serious. In the next few days I will rest and undergo anti-inflammatory physiotherapy,” the 16-time Grand Slam champion said.
The three-time finalist in Melbourne pointed out that the injury was not expected to prevent him from participating in the Acapulco Open, Indian Wells or Miami Open tournaments.
On Tuesday, Nadal retired during the fifth set in the Australian Open quarter-finals against Croatia’s Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 2-0.
While trailing 1-4 in the fourth set, Nadal called for the physiotherapist and struggled for a few more games, only to call it quits in the next set after competing for three hours and 47 minutes.
