Rafa withdraws from the US Open
Photo by Beth Wilson
Per Rafa’s twitter account, he has withdrawn from the US Open. It’s sad news, but I applaud his conviction to not come back until he’s 100%. Let’s just hope he gets there soon.
I am very sad to announce that I am not ready to play the US Open in NY. Thanks to my fans for their support and specially, the new yorkers.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 15, 2012
Tengo que anunciar que aun no me encuentro en condiciones de jugar y debo renunciar al Open USA. Muchas gracias a mis fans por su ánimo.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 15, 2012
It’s official now. Sad news for us but we will be back stronger than ever.
— Benito P-Barbadillo (@benitopb) August 15, 2012
Rafa has informed us that he will not be ready to compete at the US Open this year and has withdrawn from the tournament. (continued)
— USOpen.org (@usopen) August 15, 2012
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Commiserations to all. After the Cinci pullout, I had the odds that Nadal would play in New York at 20%.
You might be interested to know that Courtney Nguyen, who writes the SI “Beyond The Baseline” column, just tweeted (after Federer’s R32 press conference) “Federer did in fact end up messaging Rafa a few days ago. Rafa told him U.S. Open wasn’t looking good.”
Oh, that was so nice of Federer to notice that Rafa has been missing for two months and hasn’t been to the last three tournaments. *rollseyes*
Funny comment Sharon…it made me lol.
hey Andrew, yeah I’m not surprised by this development at all. Such a bummer.
Yes Roger would love to not have to play Rafa as he has not been able to beat him in a grand slam since Wimbledon 2007, Rafa always beating him in slams on ALL SURFACES.
Rafa is still young and he has at least another 4-5 USO’s to go to. If he pushes himself and comes back for the USO this year before he’s 100%, he may cut his career short and retire in his twenties.
So, while sad, this is also a smart decision and one that I, as a fan who wants to see Rafa play tennis as long as possible, applaud. Hopefully he’ll pull another dominant comeback in 2013 like he did in 2010, fingers crossed!
absolutely agree!
Rafa, come back soon! Grand slams without you are boring. Wisk you fast recovery. Your fun from Belgrade
Heath – any thoughts on this ? Seems relatively new….
http://www.sportsdoc.com.au/fat-derived-stem-cell-injections.html
This is happening and actually Spain is very advanced with this.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Rafa is trying this out.
What I meant to say,since I really don’t know is: I wouldn’t be surprised IF Rafa tried this out. I would.
Sounds promising…though according to the article it requires abdominal fat, which Rafa obviously has in short supply:) He’ll have to consume more pasta and chocolate…
From my research Argentina is a little more advanced in the latest techniques.
My only hope for Rafa is that he’s sacrificing the short term to try something a little more permanent or long lasting. PRP alone clearly isn’t good enough for his tendinopathy.
The wide variation in both presentation and pathology of chronic patellar tendinopathy means that there is no one best treatment option. Furthermore, the number of high-quality studies on different injection treatments (including PRP) for chronic patellar tendinopathy is very low and the studies hard to compare due to their different methodologies. Therefore all results should be interpreted with caution. Rafa’s medical team have to contend with this uncertainty.
It must be very frustrating for Rafa but like you I am happy that he seems to be prepared to play the long game now and not looking for a quick fix to please fans and sponsors. It’ll be interesting to see what news tomorrow’s press conference brings.
Thanks for the link! I have heard of this Australian procedure. Fat stem cells are being currently researched in clinical trials for treatment in a variety of diseases (and there is interest in it with respect to osteoarthritis in the UK) – as this article suggests. It’s not that stem cells derived from fat are any better as such, but more that fat is one of the richest sources of MSCs. There are 500 times more stem cells in 1 gram of fat than there is in the equivalent amount of aspirated bone marrow. This means that there is no need to grow or manipulate the cells before using them and the whole procedure (aspiration of belly fat – though Rafa has little of that – through liposuction, preparation and injection) can be done in one go.
I don’t think you’d need that much fat given the higher concentration of stem cells in them. Even Rafa probably has enough.
I’m so sad. so sad for Rafa. I miss him but i too applaud his decision to not return before he’s absolutely ready to, before his ‘feels’ tell him to.
Get well soon Rafa..I know you are going to come back stronger than ever!
Vamos!
Just want to join with other Rafa fans in one big hug. I hope he takes all the time he needs and really fix whatever problem he has. The better for us to be able to enjoy his unique presence on the courts for years to come.
I heard the Toni Nadal interview yesterday in Spanish Radio and the two things that struck me and that were very positive were:
1) Rafa has been in pain for a while, in the last year this includes the past fabulous clay season. Pain killer patches were keeping the discomfort at bay but it got to the point that they weren’t helping and that is when the doctors said that maybe it was time to assess without the patches.
2) These difficult decisions of the past week have been taken to cure Rafa and keep him playing longer. Rafa’s career is not in peril. Quite the contrary.
He could be out the rest of the year. Nothing is certain yet.
I prefer him out of the running until he is fully recovered. Having an injury takes away energy…mental energy. People think Novak and now Rosol got into Nadal’s head. It was the nagging pain that prevented him from playing the game he could play.
There is, clearly, strategy and vision in these decisions. He and his team are creating the conditions to make an unprecedented come back and they will.
That’s interesting that he was using pain killer patches along with anti-inflammatories. The reason I say that is because the latest stem cell treatments like the one I posted above require the patient being completely off painkillers or anti-inflammatories for awhile. From your post, I think they are probably trying to get a baseline of where Rafa is physically without any medicines. It can take several weeks for some medicines to exit the system. Again I’m hopeful that this is a sign they are looking at a permanent solution after getting a true baseline.
What are painkiller patches…?.
I wonder now if that exhausting 6-hour AO final with Nole was actually the trigger that did it. Yes, he took the whole of February off but by mid-March he was forced to pull out of the Miami SFs, citing painful knees as the reason. He then returned for the clay court season and got through that – how? – but after that huge victory over Nole in the FO final, the pain was simply too unbearable.
I mentioned a while back in an earlier post that I was at Wimbledon on the first day of play and had the thrill of watching Rafa practise for a whole hour. My friend and I said at the time that he didn’t look right, that his movements didn’t look right, and now we know why. Because he was in pain. I didn’t worry too much as it was ‘only practice’. The rest is history…..
This time he has stated that he won’t be back until he’s 100% recovered – good for him. Get healed soon, Rafa.
I think losing early to Verdasco Madrid probably helped him more than hurt him for the FO. Also remember, clay doesn’t have the shock to the joints that hardcourts do and grass is somewhere in between.
I don’t think it was a singular event that caused the trigger. Just the long grind of the tour which Rafa has so vehemently talked about over the last few years. Djokovic hasn’t been able to sustain his level of last year because of the rigors of the tour, just as Rafa said he wouldn’t about a year ago. I don’t think it is realistic to expect top players to play most MS1000s in addition to the other required tournaments. The only that guy that seemingly has had few issues over a long period of time is Federer but even he admitted over the summer that the last two years he wasn’t as healthy as he wanted. At the end of the day, I think tennis will suffer as a result of not changing the system and the demands it makes of the players. We’ll see players come a go more quickly near the top because of the rigors of the tour. I doubt we’ll ever see 3 guys dominate the way they have over the last several years.
Just read an article on the internet with remarks from Uncle Toni saying that Rafa should be ok to play in the Davis Cup semi final against USA in September and he is training normally.
Don’t know how much substance these comments off Spanish radio have.
Anyway he sounds hopeful about future, so fingers crossed.
Just read this account on Facebook from the US Open about the players reaction to Rafa pulling out. He is so loved…
http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2012-08-16/201208161345149117966.html
Well, this is definitely love.. ;-)
http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Sloane-Stephens-on-Rafa—I-Get-Starstruck-When-I-.aspx
Sorry if it’s off topic. Though it talks a bit about Rafa not being in the US open…
I’m sad and disappointed that we won’t get to see Rafa at US Open. But I agree with all of us here that it’s the right decision not to rush back to playing tennis until he’s fully fit/ready. Tennis is not exciting at all without Rafa. Hope he will come back better and stronger.
I know what you mean…I have been surprised by my diminished (nearly nil) interest in tennis when Rafa is not playing. His presence is so full and rich and thrilling…what a void without him…and obviously at least some of the other players are feeling the impact of his absence as well. He brings so much, that only when he is absent is it possible to realize the impact of his presence…he is so missed.
Yes. Like I said before, Rafa is so dominating a figure in tennis that even his absence is a Presence. Love him, hate him — players, media, and fans cannot forget him.
No one but Rafa can do this.
Have you noticed, Julie, that when there’s a pause in action, the commies go back to discussing Nadal? That he’s one of the first topics they bring up in player interviews? I’d like to know how much Twitter traffic has increased since his USO announcement.
I’ve definitely noticed that! I’m in the UK, and have been watching a few matches on Sky Sports. In almost every one, Rafa has crept into the conversation somewhere.
Yes, very interesting. And as you say, regardless of what people think of him, he is a compelling “force” – very much missed, and honored by so many. I do believe that positive change can occur as a result of Rafa’s experience and especially as a result of his absence from competition.
The announcement that Rafa has been diagnosed with Hoffa’s Disease is interesting. Maybe this diagnosis will shut some people up. From what I’ve been reading today, it looks like he has been feeling the pain since before Miami – it troubled him a bit in Paris, and then the pain became quite limiting at Wimbledon.
Based on this article, it looks like rest, rest and more rest is the best treatment, followed by arthroscopic surgery if needed. I don’t think we should expect to see our boy for a while. His goal is to return only when 100% healthy and 100% ready to play.
http://orthopaedic.com.sg/hoffas-syndrome-fat-pad-impingement-syndrome-a-cause-of-anterior-knee-pain/
Interesting? Well, yes, I suppose so – but poor Rafa. As if the patellar tendinopathy wasn’t enough, now he has Hoffa’s disease to contend with too. I understand that Rafa wants to avoid surgery at all costs and I don’t blame him; even arthroscopic surgery carries its own risks.
Yes, it is interesting. And sad and concerning and all the rest. It sheds new light on the comments he has made about this knee problem being “different”. Remember that odd incident last year where he stood up and suddenly experienced the worst knee pain of his life that almost as suddenly resolved itself and nearly caused him to withdraw from … (I forget which event). Interesting.
That incident was just before his first match at this year’s Australian Open. To think that he got to the final with a bandaged knee beating Fed on the way and then played in that amazing final which he so very nearly won. Maybe this truly outstanding performance did alot of damage & the reason for his knee pain since Miami has just raised it’s ugly head!!
Feel so sorry for ‘our boy’. What has he done to deserve this?
Hope he’s not getting too down about it & comes back better, stronger, faster & with a huge desire to win more Slams, regain No 1 spot & kick some butt!
At least he’ll be able to follow his beloved football teams without feeling he should be sleeping due to his own match the following day, for a while anyway.
Felt so Rafa Tennis deprived last night I watched part of his semi against Murray at WTF from 2010. The last point of the match is priceless both in the way Rafa won the point & his reaction to reaching the final. He’s the only reason I watch tennis, pure passion, joy, 100% commitment & being the most amiable, gorgeous player I’ve ever seen helps love him even more. Can’t wait to hear some good news eventually!!
I think stem cell treatment is the way to go for these problems. It is less invasive than full blown surgery and has shown in trials that the average level of improvement is significant in most patients. I don’t know that Rafa will ever be fully 100% again in his career unless he at least tries stem cell therapy. It seems like the rigors of playing long matches and rallies are the root of a lot of these issues. I think the partial solution for that is to go back to the big serve he learned in 2010 for winning the USO then (he lost a grand total of 1 set and wasn’t broken until the final against Djokovic). We know he has that in his arsenal but we’ve only seen flashes of it since 2010. Using that serve and taking control of points more quickly and ending points more quickly the way he did in 2010 is going to be critical to also extending his playing career when he does get back on the court. I realize it is difficult to expect Rafa to revamp his game to be like Federer, Del Potro or some other flat-ball hitter but I think if he can play the way he did in the summer and fall of 2010, it will go a long way towards minimizing future issues once he is healthy.
Hi Karen and Beegee, just thought i’d point out that in relation to the freak knee incident at the AO, the day before it started, that was actually on Rafa’s right knee. His current problems are on his left knee. REST AND RECOVERY WELL DEAR RAFA x
I watched the AO and am aware that it was Rafa’s right knee which caused him problems there. His last 3 difficult matches there however obviously accelerated the condition of his left knee which has been rumbling on since then.
Thanks, Reva – I did not remember it was his right knee. Sympathy pains, then? ☺ *snark*
“What has he done to deserve this?”
I guess, because Rafa seems such a kind, thoughtful, respectful, decent man beyond what one normally sees in celebrities and top athletes, these physical handicaps seem an unfair blow. But bad things happen to good people, as we all know. It is the way of the world.
In this case, at least some of the disability appears to have arisen from Rafa’s style of play. The sad thing is that it is so difficult to treat, with little hope of cure, and is happening to someone who should be in the prime of his skill and the midst of his achievements.
I hope two things:
– That Rafa is able to recover sufficiently to be pain-free and to compete at a the level he desires, and
– That his misfortune will cause the ATP Powers That Be to radically lessen the intense demands with which the tour overburdens the players. That way, at least some good would come out of this.
We’ve already got a plethora of injuries afflicting the top 20+; surely this development, so damaging to one of its best, will move the Council to actively advocate significant reform in schedule and ranking requirements.
Yeah, I’m a “cockeyed optimist.” 8-)
An explanation of Rafa’s condition by his doctor,
http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=19215&zoneid=25
Rafael Nadal’s doctor, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro of the Spanish Tennis Federation who has treated the 11-time Grand Slam champion since he was 14, tells Mundo Deportivo that Nadal’s injury “is annoying and painful, but not significant.” Ruiz-Cotorro said that Nadal suffers from the disease Hoffa’s syndrome, which is “fat inflammation” behind the patellar tendon and is part of the tendonitis suffered by Nadal. Hoffa’s syndrome occurs when the fat pad becomes pinched between the distal thigh bone and the kneecap.
“He’s doing well. Next week it will be tested and if the result is positive we will continue with the same treatment,” said Cotorro, who added that Nadal is trying to deflate the tissue in his knee during his rehabilitation process via physical therapy, electrodes, laser and deep thermotherapy.
According to medical web sites, if the type of treatment Nadal is using now does not work then surgery may be advised. This may involve the complete or partial removal of the fat pad itself.
Thank you for sending this very informative new directly from Rafa’s doctor…! I will be praying for his speedy recovery.
If by any means some of you need to read an article, that might make you smile a little or at least bring you some comfort, after what we learned about Rafa´s conditions today, I strongly recommend this:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/17/sport/tennis/tennis-rafael-nadal-mallorca/index.html
Toni´s remarks in the end made me once again realize, why so many love this guy and all that he represents.
Read it, loved it, agreed with every word. Thanks for sharing.
Well it’s gonna be the Roger/Novak show with Murray thrown in the mix occasionally I’m afraid until Rafa comes back and spoils the party, and I can’t wait.
My interest in men’s tennis has diminished at the moment with the absence of the best player to have ever played the game, I have been watching the women’s. More exciting than Roger,Novak is interesting though.
I can’t watch any of the Rafa matches I have recorded at the moment as it makes me miss him even more but I’m sure i will at some point as it’s much more exciting.
Thank you for all the updates on Rafa.
i guess it’s safe to say that Rafa’s 2012 season just ended.
Let’s just hope for a better 2013.
Oh Rafa, Rafa, wherefore art thou, Rafa? I woke up feeling angsty today. There’s a bit of a void in my life where Rafa-tennis used to be. Enjoy the sea and sunshine, dear boy, but just know that when you return to the court there will be much rejoicing in the land (or at least in my house).
So sad for Rafa, he must be deeply frustrated and disappointed, and we feel with him. I really hope he can recover fully and get back next year, and am glad that he has not risked his knees on this very hard surface of the USOpen.
I’m kind of disinterested in watching the USopen with no Rafa in it!!
FYI-Here is a link to an article published yesterday in the Australian newspaper:-
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nadal-on-brink-of-oblivion-as-his-greatest-fear-arrives/story-e6frg7mf-1226452902007
I find this a curious and sensational little piece. For instance, I don’t trust anything attributed to a completely unnamed, unplaced source. That’s just caca. Nor do I understand why Toni would share strategic information with the coaches of rivals, unless he’s engaging in a “head fake.”
The article’s assertion also seems to conflict with the Team Nadal opinion that this condition is manageable. Rafa’s doctor just said that the latest problem is irritating/annoying but not important/signficant (a statement I don’t get). I’m going to just stick with Rafa’s words.
I think a more literal translation of what the doctor allegedly said was that the injury, although very painful, is a nuisance but not necessarily career ending.
Poor kid, I hope he listens to his knee this time & waits until it tells him he can play. I remember John McEnroe once saying something to the effect that the way Rafa plays, when he’s all done w/playing tennis, that his body will be like that of a way older man. He really must be in pain & he’s so young to experience something like this. I know Rafa said he chose the right sport for himself, but I often wonder if soccer/futbol would have been better in the long run, since they mainly run on grass, play on a team instead of it being an individual sport and don’t seem to play nearly as long of time that tennis players do when they have to play those 5 sets for grand slams.
Unlike the Australian gloom and doom piece, here’s a more hopeful, sensible and credible quote from the latest ibtimes.com article on the topic:
“Joshua Dines, a member of the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and a team doctor for the U.S. Davis Cup tennis team, also is very hopeful. He says patellar tendinitis gets better 90% of the time with rest and treatment…each time, with rest, he [Rafa]has always come back strongly to put himself at par with the game’s best players.”
I didn’t see the Australian article as gloom and doom. Just a great summary of Rafa’s career issues and WHY the issues are occurring. The crux of the issue is a the congenital defect in Rafa’s foot. Everything else is a symptom of that – the knee and any other physical issues in the legs. Everything is compensation that has been occurring b/c of the foot. I know Rafa will find a way to get healthy and back on the court. I think his team is taking the right steps. A good sign is that he is being wound off the painkilling medications to get a good baseline. They will be able to see where is after this and then decide what the best course of action is (likely surgery, stem cell therapy or just rest). I’m not concerned about any of those options b/c they have known good and successful outcomes. I have faith Rafa will be back but not until he’s fully ready. It may take him longer to round back into shape than it does for the actual problem to be fixed. Arthroscopic surgery to remove the fat pad would require him being out 4-6 weeks. This fall is a great time for Rafa to do any treatment or therapy so I think his team has done the right thing by skipping the USO with a view towards the intermediate to long term. The Australian article tells the story from when Rafa was in his teens until now. It doesn’t say much about treatment, therapy or recovery going forward because the writer didn’t explore that angle. The available options all have a good prognosis. Let’s see what happens and be positive from that perspective.
I agree with you, CO; this article accurately chronicles Rafa’s injuries and is borne out by sections of Rafa’s book. It is entirely plausible that orthotics designed to relieve pressure on that damaged foot have contributed to problems elsewhere; again this is mentioned in the book. I think ‘contributed’ is a more accurate term than ’caused’. Complex knee problems like Rafa’s which include tendon scarring and now Hoffa’s are are rarely down to just the one causative factor; Rafa’s style of play has also had a detrimental effect on his patellar tendons and caused the fat pad problem. Whatever treatment interventions are utilised, I am confident that Rafa will be back on court and fully able to compete. The only uncertainty is when that will be…
“Rafa’s style of play has also had a detrimental effect on his patellar tendons and caused the fat pad problem.”
As did the wearing of too-small shoes when he played soccer and the weight training he did earlier in his career. If he hadn’t changed to resistance training he likely would have been out a long time ago.
I have complete faith that if he can come back, he will be back. He is a warrior.
Agreed Heath. I think the one thing that he can do going forward when he does come back is start hitting the bigger serve on hardcourts to try and shorten the points on his serve. We know he can do this and it is something I think he can use more effectively to lengthen his career. I realize it is probably too much for him to completely revamp his game but I think he can do it spots, especially on hardcourts and grass courts as he did in 2010. I hope his team is thinking of this as another way to limit the rallies and reduce the wear and tear when he does come back. I think the 2010 version of Rafa was by far the most efficient version of Rafa we’ve seen. That kind of efficiency will be necessary imo going forward.
I thought he was doing this during his brief Wimbledon stint this year; he was regularly serving at 125mph. Now we know why, but if his body can handle it – and if he is okay with dealing with returns of some of those serves with interest – I think he really should consider trying for more free points and fewer lengthy rallies.
Indeed CO. The article is overly sensational (I didn’t need that) but it’s baseline is true. Before Rafa was injured this time, I’d researched to find out if the foot could be causing the constant knee issues. I came to the conclusion it they could. Well the foot and tennis. If Rafa was not a tennista, he would have been okay (wouldn’t even need the orthotics). However, with shoes that are designed to totally throw his weight off the left foot and high level tennis, I’m sure Rafa and his team knew there was a high probability of joint problems. The jarring impact of tennis is enough on the joints without having to compensate for modifying the body’s gait. I’m even grateful he has come thus far. But I believe Rafa is special (I have to). He will recover again and be the best he can be. Cos I need him, tennis needs him and all his fans miss him. In the mean time, I will support and pray for him till he makes it back to top tennis again.
Where are you,Miri?
Does anyone have any update on Rafa’s visit to the doctor today? I am hoping he has made good progress and recovery :)