Rafael Nadal lamented Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawals from the Italian Open, acknowledging that injuries are a part of the sport of tennis and that players must learn to live with them.

After recovering from an ailment that kept him out of the 2023 ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, Rafael Nadal is healthy enough to play this year after winning matches at the Barcelona Open and Madrid Open.

Sinner and Alcaraz, two of the biggest names in the game, will miss the competition due to ailments; Sinner has a hip issue, while Alcaraz has a forearm injury.

The world No. 2 player’s withdrawal from the tournament dealt a serious blow to the organizers as it denied local fans opportunity to witness him play for the first time since winning the Australian Open in January. Sinner is Italian.

Nadal, who has had a number of ailments throughout his career, talked about Sinner’s absence and the issues with injuries on the ATP Tour.

“The truth is that the injuries have always been present. “I recognize that Jannik’s absence from this game is very upsetting for you, particularly considering his current form,” he remarked.

We have been discussing [injuries] for a long time, so we could talk about that for hours.

The topic is being discussed anew now that Carlos and Jannik aren’t playing here, but nothing changes—it’s just a coincidence that two of the greatest players in the world are injured right now.

“Now that two of the top three players in the world are unable to play in Rome, the conversation is much deeper.

“Let’s speak about why athletes sustain injuries,. To put it simply, injuries occur when the body is pushed beyond its breaking point. You are hurt when the game becomes faster and faster.

“You get hurt when you play on hard courts for most of the year because the surfaces are harder on the body. That’s the easy response.

“That is a different topic. It is also about the competitions, the business, and the sport. The players’ ultimate goal is to turn a profit. The competitions aim to turn a profit. The cycles come full circle.

Due to a hip flexor ailment, Nadal was only able to compete in four matches in 2022. This year, he has already missed numerous events because of a muscular issue.

Nevertheless, the Spaniard maintains that it is all a natural part of the game, despite his personal injury struggles.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion went on, “We embrace that role.” You don’t need to inform me about injuries; things happen. You are unable to voice complaints about that. If you’re okay with the way things are,. You continue. If you are hurt, you need to heal properly.

Because they are young, Alcaraz and Sinner will have plenty of time to play in Rome and enjoy great success there. Not a drama. Even in the absence of Carlos and Jannik, two significant players in the competition today, it will still go on.

“I think it’s really bad news, especially for Italy, that Jannik won’t be playing here after everything he stands for in this country today.”

“Even as his colleague and observer, I feel terrible for him because he deserves to play.”