Rafael Nadal on Tuesday made the decision to withdraw from the clay-court Monte Carlo Masters, citing that he was yet to attain the requisite form and the capability to contend at the most elite echelon of the tournament.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined with a left hip flexor injury since the Australian Open. The Monte Carlo Masters begins on April 8.
"I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo. I am not in the right conditions yet to play with the maximum guarantees, and I continue my preparation, hoping to be back soon,” Nadal wrote on Twitter.
Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz also withdrew from the event owing to "physical discomfort” after his semifinal loss in Florida last week. Alcaraz had been so dominant recently that he has not lost a set since February before that defeat.
"I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come,” said the 19-year-old from Spain.
Nadal has won the tournament for a record 11 times, including an Open Era record streak of eight consecutive titles from 2005-12. The 36-year-old Spaniard generally uses the event as a key part of his preparations for the French Open, scheduled for May 28-June 11.
Nadal has won 14 of his major titles on clay at Roland Garros, including last year while dealing with chronic pain in his left foot.
In January, Nadal hurt his hip flexor during a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open.
