Rafael Nadal Says He Has Tested Positive for COVID-19
Nadal said he tested positive on his return to Spain from Abu Dhabi, where he had played an exhibition tournament.
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal, on Monday, 20 December, said he has tested positive for COVID-19 on his return to Spain from Abu Dhabi, where he participated in an exhibition tournament last week.
"I am having some unpleasant moments but I hope that I will improve little by little. I am now homebound and have reported the result to those who have been in contact with me," Nadal said in a statement.
"As a consequence of the situation, I have to have total flexibility with my calendar and I will analyze my options depending on my situation. I will keep you informed of any decisions about my future tournaments! Thank you all in advance for your support and understanding," he added.
The Spanish former world number one was expected to fly to Australia before the end of the year to compete in an ATP event before the 2022 Australian Open.
Nadal, who is 20-time major winning, had been struggling with a foot injury for the past six months which forced him to skip the Wimbledon and US Open.
On return from injury, Nadal lost to another former world number one Andy Murray in an exhibition match on Friday in Abu Dhabi. After that he also lost against Wimbledon semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov of Canada on Saturday.
Despite missing the major chunk of the season, he finished 2021 ranked No 6 in the world after winning ATP titles in Barcelona and Rome and making the semi-finals at the French Open and the quarters at the Australian Open.
(With AFP Inputs)
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