Rafael Nadal's injury sustained at Indian Wells was "absolutely unexpected" and a "real shame", according to Eurosport expert Alex Corretja.
The 2022 Australian Open champion has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a cracked rib suffered during his defeat in the final against Taylor Fritz in the California desert on Sunday. Nadal was visibly struggling to breathe during the match, saying afterwards that he was finding it “difficult”, having had to lie down at times to receive treatment.
The time frame for his recovery will leave him with limited preparation time for the 2022 French Open as he looks to snatch back his long-standing crown from rival Novak Djokovic, and Corretja has admitted that it is a concern. Eurosport tennis expert Alex Corretja said:
"This injury for Rafa was absolutely unexpected. Honestly, he was in perfect form, with confidence, winning matches. It really was a perfect start for the season, but sometimes it can happen that when you haven't competed for a while you start to win many sets, many matches and that sometimes causes a new injury, as has been the case this time."
He further added:
"The real shame is that the best part of the season was coming for him: the clay. Now he is going to have to recover, go back to training, and hopefully, he can play a tournament prior to Roland Garros because really the expectations, and the hopes that he will win again in Paris, are very high. Hopefully he will arrive in shape because I sincerely believe that it is very important that Nadal is on the circuit."
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