Rafael Nadal has stunned fans by announcing his withdrawal from the upcoming Miami Open.
The 20-time grand slam champion has pulled out of the Masters 1000 event because of the back issue that has bothered him since before the Australian Open.
“Sad to announce that I won’t be playing in Miami, a city that I love,” Nadal wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
“I need to fully recover and get ready for the clay court season in Europe.
“Special message to my fans in the US and in particular to the great Spanish speaking community FL who always give me great support!”
Nadal was first troubled by the back issue at the ATP Cup in the lead-up to the Australian Open.
He missed all of Spain’s ties in the ATP Cup before reaching the quarter-finals of the Melbourne Park grand slam.
The Spanish champion has since withdrawn from events in Rotterdam and Dubai, choosing to prepare for the clay-court season instead.
Nadal will be seeking a fifth-consecutive French Open title and 14th career crown on the red clay of Roland Garros starting in May.
Despite being beloved by Miami supporters, the Masters title in South Florida is among the few to elude Nadal, who has lost the final there five times.
The latest setback left tennis fans shattered.
