Rafael Nadal Withdraws from Australian Open 2024 amid Recovery from Hip Injury

Rafael Nadal withdrew from the 2024 Australian Open on Sunday after an MRI revealed he is dealing with a micro-tear in his surgically repaired left hip.

Nadal needed a medical timeout in the third set of his quarterfinals match against Jordan Thompson at last week's Brisbane International. Thompson would go on to upset the former world No. 1, casting doubt on Nadal's status for the year's first major.

Nadal's appearance in Brisbane was his first since the 2023 Australian Open as he sat out nearly a full calendar year while dealing with a hip flexor injury. The absence allowed Novak Djokovic to pass Nadal on the all-time Grand Slams list, with Nadal now sitting two behind his fellow all-time great's record of 24.

Nadal has won just two of his 22 majors at the Australian Open but was triumphant in Melbourne two years ago. He would have faced a massive uphill battle to capture a third championship down under given his current world ranking of No. 672.

Nadal will likely spend the next few weeks getting his body right and hoping to ramp up his activity before the start of the clay-court season. The 37-year-old has won a record 14 French Open championships, and clay has tended to be more forgiving to his body over the years. If Nadal is going to add another Grand Slam to his mantle, his best odds will come in France.

With Nadal out and Roger Federer and Serena Williams retired, Djokovic will be by far the biggest individual draw heading into the Australian Open on either the men's or women's side. We've been clearly in the midst of a full sea change in tennis over the last couple of years, and it will be interesting to see who—if anyone—steps up and ascends to true international superstardom.

As it stands, there's pretty seismic hole at the top of the game.