Rafael Nadal's preparation for the French Open suffered another blow when he announced his withdrawal from the ATP Barcelona tournament on Friday.
Nadal will miss next week's Barcelona Open and continue building his match fitness following a hip injury sustained at the Australian Open in January.
The 22-times Grand Slam champion skipped tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami as well as the ongoing Monte Carlo Masters after suffering the injury that effectively ended his Melbourne Park title defence as he crashed to a second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald.
"Barcelona is a special tournament for me, because it's my adopted club and playing at home is always a unique sensation," Nadal, 36, said on Instagram.
"I'm still not ready and therefore I continue my preparation process for the return to competition."
The Spaniard, a 14-times French Open champion, hopes to be fully fit for the clay court Grand Slam starting in May.
His fitness problems have become a recurring issue since he won his 14th French Open crown last year.
He subsequently withdrew from his Wimbledon semi-final due to an abdominal injury.
Nadal's long absence from the circuit this term has seen him drop out of the top 10 for the first time since April 2005 - he is presently ranked 15th.
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Spaniard Rafael Nadal celebrates after beating Casper Ruud of Norway to win the French Open for a 14th time at Roland Garros in Paris on June 5, 2022. EPA -
Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy. Getty -
Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning the French Open. AFP -
Rafael Nadal hugs Norway's Casper Ruud after winning the men's singles final. Reuters -
Nadal celebrates with the French Open trophy. Getty -
Nadal returns to Casper Ruud. AFP -
Spectators show their support for Norway's Casper Ruud. AFP -
Spain's Rafael Nadal clenches his fist after winning a point. AP -
Casper Ruud in action during the final. EPA
