Rafael Nadal withdraws from Doha, eyes return at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha next week as he continues to battle a left hip injury.

Nadal, 37, said he is planning to play at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., in March.

"I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly," Nadal said on social media. "Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won't be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014.

"I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament."

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, is scheduled to face fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas on March 3.

Nadal has played in just one tournament this year -- the Brisbane International in Australia. He won two matches before losing to Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.

He aggravated the hip injury during the tournament and pulled out of the Australian Open.

The three matches Nadal played in Brisbane are the only ones he has played since initially hurting the hip in the 2023 Australia Open.