Nadal misses French Open as he undergoes hip surgery on his 37th birthday

Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal has undergone keyhole surgery to address his left hip injury, which prevented him from participating in the French Open. 

The 36-year-old, who plans to retire after the 2024 season, sustained the injury during the Australian Open in January and has been absent from competitive play since then. Despite practicing in recent weeks, Nadal was not fit enough to participate in tournaments.

The results of the surgery, which took place in Barcelona, will be announced today [Saturday] coinciding with Nadal's 37th birthday. Last month, Nadal announced his absence from the French Open, marking the first time in 19 years that he would not compete in the event. He expressed his goal of prioritising his physical condition for his final season in 2024.

Nadal's incredible career includes 14 men's singles titles at Roland Garros and a total of 22 Grand Slam singles titles, tying the record with Serbia's Novak Djokovic. His absence from various tournaments earlier this year also led to a drop in his world ranking, with Nadal currently ranked 15th.

Nadal's spokesperson, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, confirmed the surgery and mentioned that three doctors participated in the procedure.