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Nadal Aiming to Make Comeback from Injury at Monte Carlo

In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal answers questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his quarterfinal against Croatia's Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. (AP)
In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal answers questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his quarterfinal against Croatia's Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. (AP)
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Nadal Aiming to Make Comeback from Injury at Monte Carlo

In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal answers questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his quarterfinal against Croatia's Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. (AP)
In this Jan. 23, 2018, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal answers questions at a press conference after retiring injured from his quarterfinal against Croatia's Marin Cilic at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. (AP)

Rafael Nadal is aiming to make his comeback from a hip injury at the clay-court Monte Carlo Masters next month, organizers said Wednesday.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined with a left hip flexor injury since the Australian Open, and pulled out of hard-court tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami.

The Monte Carlo Masters begins on April 8 and tournament director David Massey is optimistic Nadal will play.

"Rafa was the first (player) to be registered," Massey said in statement. "He really wants to play at the Monte Carlo Masters and is giving himself every chance to take part in the tournament he's so fond of."

Nadal has won the tournament a record 11 times, including an Open Era record streak of eight consecutive titles from 2005 to 2012.

The 36-year-old Spaniard uses the event as a key part of his preparations for the French Open, which takes place May 28-June 11.

Nadal has won 14 of his major titles on clay at Roland Garros, including last year while dealing with chronic pain in his left foot.

In January, Nadal hurt his hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald of the United States at the Australian Open.

An MRI exam the next day revealed the extent of the injury.

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Coach Ivanisevic Slams Tsitsipas after Early Wimbledon Exit

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece receives treatment during his first round men's single match against Valentine Royer of France at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece receives treatment during his first round men's single match against Valentine Royer of France at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
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Coach Ivanisevic Slams Tsitsipas after Early Wimbledon Exit

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece receives treatment during his first round men's single match against Valentine Royer of France at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece receives treatment during his first round men's single match against Valentine Royer of France at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Goran Ivanisevic gave a scathing assessment of Stefanos Tsitsipas, saying he has "never seen a more unprepared player" in his life following the Greek world number 26's opening round exit at Wimbledon.

Tsitsipas, the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open runner-up, was forced to retire from his Wimbledon first-round match while trailing 6-3 6-2 to French qualifier Valentin Royer on Monday due to a back injury, Reuters said.

The 26-year-old, who said he had no answers to his ongoing fitness problems after his elimination, appointed Croatian Ivanisevic as his coach in May after a string of disappointing results at the Grand Slams.

Tsitsipas, a former world number three, has reached only one quarter-final in his last nine Grand Slam tournaments.

"It's simple and it's not simple. I've talked to him a lot of times. If he solves some things outside of tennis, then he has a chance and he'll return to where he belongs, because he's too good a player to be out of the top 10," Ivanisevic told Serbian network Sport Klub after Tsitsipas' exit.

"He wants to but he doesn't do anything. All 'I want, I want', but I don't see that progress... I was shocked, I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life. With this knee, I am three times more fit than him. This is really bad."

Ivanisevic, who won Wimbledon as a player in 2001, helped Novak Djokovic claim nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles before leaving his team in March last year. He then had a short stint with Kazakh world number 11 Elena Rybakina this season.