Rafael Nadal's Australian Open 2024 withdrawal means he & Roger Federer will be missing the tournament together for the first time in the 21st century

Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the 2024 Australian Open after suffering a minor injury at the Brisbane International.

Nadal called for a medical timeout during his quarterfinal match on January 5. He was able to finish the match after the trainer assessed his upper left leg.

But upon reaching Melbourne, to participate in the first Grand Slam of the year, Nadal underwent an MRI scan to get a better look at his physical discomfort. The scan showed that he had sustained a micro tear on a muscle, which forced him to fly back to Spain to rest and recover.

The Spaniard said he was gutted to miss playing in front of his fans in Melbourne but added that he was optimistic about the rest of his season.

“Hi all, during my last match in Brisbane I had a small problem on a muscle that as you know made me worried. Once I got to Melbourne I have had the chance to make an MRI and I have micro tear on a muscle, not in the same part where I had the injury and that’s good news,” Nadal wrote on social media. “Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level of exigence in 5 sets matches. Therefore I am flying back to Spain to see my doctor, get some treatment and rest."

“I have worked very hard during the year for this comeback and as I always mentioned my goal is to be at my best level in 3 months," he added. "Within the sad news for me for not being able to play in front of the amazing Melbourne crowds, this is not very bad news and we all remain positive with the evolution for the season."

Rafael Nadal's withdrawal means that the 2024 Australian Open will be the first edition of the tournament in the 21st century that will not feature either the Spaniard or Roger Federer in the main draw.

The last time this happened was in 1999. Federer, a six-time Australian Open champion, made his debut in Melbourne in 2000, and played at the tournament every year until 2020.

Nadal, meanwhile, debuted in 2004 and eventually became a two-time champion. He was seeded No. 1 at the 2023 Australian Open but exited in the second round.

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A look into Rafael Nadal's performance at the 2024 Brisbane International

Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal returned to tennis after a year-long absence and was awarded a wildcard to play in the 2024 Brisbane International. His first opponent was former US Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Nadal looked like he was never away from the court, as he wrapped up a 7-5, 6-1 win against the Austrian.

The Spaniard seemed even stronger during his second match, beating local player Jason Kubler, 6-1, 6-2. He then faced another Aussie, Jordan Thompson, in the quarterfinals and had three match points. However, Thompson recovered well and went on to win the match 7-5, 6-7(6), 3-6.

Nadal also played doubles in Brisbane. He partnered with close friend Marc Lopez but lost to Thompson and Max Purcell in the first round.