DUBAI: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has tested positive for coronavirus after playing in an exhibition tournament last week in Abu Dhabi, a diagnosis that complicates the tennis champion’s return to the sport from a nagging foot injury.
Nadal, who didn’t confirm the specific variant of Covid-19, had been making his comeback from injury in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi last week. It was Nadal’s first tournament appearance since the Citi Open in Washington in August.
Taking to Twitter, Nadal wrote, “I am going through some unpleasant moments but I trust that I will improve little by little. I am now confined at home and have informed the people who had been in contact with me.”
Hola a todos. Quería anunciaros que en mi regreso a casa tras disputar el torneo de Abu Dhabi, he dado positivo por COVID en la prueba PCR que se me ha realizado al llegar a España.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 20, 2021
“As a consequence of the situation, I have to have total flexibility with my calendar and I will analyse my options depending on my evolution,” he said, adding, “I will keep you informed of any decisions about my future tournaments.”
Nadal was due to fly to Melbourne later this month to participate in the Australian Open leading an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) event. The 20-time Grand Slam champion had been back in action after facing a foot injury back in August which ruled him out of the Wimbledon and the US Open.
After the injury, Nadal played his first match and lost against Andy Murray. He lost another match against Wimbledon semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov of Canada on Saturday.
Even after missing half the season in 2021, Nadal received two titles in Barcelona and got ranked no. 6 in the world. The player also made it to the semi-finals at the French Open and the quarters at the Australian Open.
