Rafael Nadal said on Tuesday he would be out of action for between four and six weeks with a stress fracture in one of his ribs.
“This is not good news and I did not expect this,” tweeted Nadal, who will miss the start of the claycourt season.
The Spaniard will be ruled out of the Monte Carlo and Barcelona tournaments although he could potentially return for the Madrid Masters on May 1-8.
Nadal, who won the Australian Open title this year, lost to American Taylor Fritz in the final of the Indian Wells Masters on Sunday, ending his perfect 20-0 run to start 2022.
He said he had played Indian Wells with “discomfort” and so had undergone medical checks on his return to Spain.
“I have a stress fracture in one of my ribs and will be out for 4 to 6 weeks,” Nadal said.
Hola todos, quería anunciaros que he vuelto a España y fui enseguida a visitar a mi equipo médico para hacerme las pruebas tras la final de Indian Wells que jugué con molestias.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 22, 2022
Al final resulta que tengo una fisura por estrés en una de las costillas y estaré entre 4 y 6 semanas de baja. No son buenas noticias y no me esperaba esto. Estoy hundido y triste porque tras el inicio de temporada que he tenido tan buena.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 22, 2022