Rafael Nadal will not be playing at the Monte-Carlo Masters, but he is practicing hard to be ready for other clay court events.
Nadal withdrew from the Monte-Carlo Masters on Thursday, saying he was still not ready to compete at the highest level. He gave an emotional statement, describing how hard it is for him to miss events like the one in Monte-Carlo.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion withdrawing from any tournament is always bad news but the consequences could be severe if he pushes himself too hard. For instance, Mats Wilander feels Nadal is trying to avoid a career-ending injury.
Every clay court tournament is undoubtedly important to Nadal. However, the French Open is the pinnacle for him. His Uncle Toni believes Nadal remains a favourite at the French Open despite his recent injuries.
That is why the legend of the sport will keep working hard to get himself back to full fitness, and recent footage of Nadal shows how seriously he is taking his quest to return to the sport.
A video of Nadal hitting at the Rafael Nadal tennis academy can be seen below. The intensity of his play is pretty impressive from this brief clip of him that has been shared.
Nadal hits two solid cross-court backhands in the footage, before bringing his famous left-handed forehand into play with a well-placed shot right into the corner of the court, with his practice partner understandably finding his intensity difficult to manage.
The 37 year old then finishes the point decisively at the net with his backhand. Although the clip is short, it will undoubtedly create a longing among tennis fans around the world to see him back on court again.
Nadal has made it clear that he is not ready to consistently play at the level needed to challenge at tournaments. But it is very encouraging to see him out on court working hard to be back as soon as possible.