RAFAEL NADAL ANNOUNCES SUDDEN SURGERY ON THE EVE OF HIS BIRTHDAY AS SPANIARD SEEKS ANSWERS

has announced that he is undergoing arthroscopic surgery to examine the muscle that he injured in January. The Spaniard announced the news on the eve of his birthday, with results to come on the morning that he turns 37.

Nadal has been forced to miss this year's French Open - where he is a 14-time champion - through injury. The Spaniard injured his psoas during his second-round defeat in Melbourne earlier this year and has not recovered despite several treatment plans.

And during Roland Garros the former world No 1 made a surprise announcement, revealing that he was undergoing surgery in Barcelona on Friday evening. The arthroscopic procedure is being done to examine the muscle that has been causing him trouble.

The surgery is being carried out by Nadal's long-time doctor - Angel Ruiz-Cotorro - as well as Dr. Philippon and Dr. Vilaro. And Nadal will learn the results on Saturday morning - his 37th birthday.

It comes weeks after Nadal announced that 2024 would likely be the final year of his career. The 22-time Major champion held a press conference at his Mallorcan academy ahead of Roland Garros to announce his withdrawal.

And he also revealed that he would be spending several months away from the court in a bid to return pain free next year for something of a farewell tour. "That would be my objective, to try to stop to face the last year of my sports career with the guarantees of being able to enjoy it," he said.

He added: "And I am aware that if I continue playing at this moment, I do not think that this can happen next year and I want to give myself the chance of this happening."

The exploratory surgery could change his plans, however, as Nadal is finally set to receive answers about the extent of his psoas injury and why it has been virtually impossible to come back from so far.

2023-06-02T20:11:43Z dg43tfdfdgfd