BARCELONA: The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will miss next week's Barcelona Open as he works on his fitness ahead of the French Open in May and June.
The Barcelona Open tournament will start on Saturday.
Nadal has not played since losing in the second round to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January due to a hip injury, and missing events in Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte Carlo.
He wrote on Instagram, "Barcelona is a special tournament for me, because it's my adopted club and because playing at home is always a unique feeling. I'm still not prepared and therefore I'm still preparing for the return to competition.
Good luck to my friend David Ferrer and his entire team for this edition of the Godo that will surely be a success as always."
The French Open, a tournament Nadal has won a record 14 times, will begin from May 28 to June 11 this year.
The Barcelona Open, an ATP 500 event, begins on April 18. Carlos Alcaraz of Spain won the 2022 edition. Nadal has won the Barcelona Open a record 12 times, the first in 2005 and the last in 2021.