Big blow for Rafael Nadal. Radiating since the start of the season, the Spaniard will miss four to six weeks of competition. Struggling to breathe last week at Roland-Garros, the latest winner of the Australian Open is expected to miss the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 in April.
terrible news for Rafael Nadal ! Last week, the Spaniard competed in the Indian Wells Masters 1000 where he lost in the final to Taylor Fritz. After having difficulty breathing during the tournament, the recent winner of the Australian Open has undergone examinations: he suffers from a cracked rib which requires at least four weeks of rest. But, according to the press release sent to the Spanish press agency EFE, this period of absence could stretch over six weeks, already recording his package for the Barcelona and Monte-Carlo tournaments.
An unmissable clay-court tournament of the season, Monte-Carlo is back from April 9 to 17. Defending champion, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas will put his trophy back on the line. After a canceled 2020 edition and a 2021 edition behind closed doors, the public is returning to the Monegasque stands this year. Among the serious contenders for the title, Rafael Nadal surely absent, Novak Djokovic, world No. 1 should be present in the principality like Daniil Medvedev.
The Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 will take place from April 9 to 17 on the courts of the Country-Club (MCCC) located in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. The public will be back this year two years after the cancellation of the tournament. Last year, the edition, marked by the pandemic, was disputed behind closed doors.
Holder of the TV rights for the nine Masters 1000 including that of Monte-Carlo, Eurosport will broadcast the 2022 Monte-Carlo tournament on its channels and platforms. Canal+ held the rights to unencrypted broadcasting until this year, but no renewal offer or new acquisition has been proposed to follow the competition unencrypted for the moment.
On Friday April 8, the 2022 edition of the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 will kick off with a draw in the presence of defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas. The entire TOP 10 are expected to take part in the tournament including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. On the French side, most French players will be present including Gaël Monfils and Ugo Humbert. Zeljko Franulovic, tournament director revealed the identity of the first two wild cards: Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Stan Wawrinka.
Created in 1897, the Monte-Carlo tournament is a historic tennis competition. Since the start of the Open Era in 1968, here is the list of winners of the tournament:
- 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas
- 2020: tournament canceled
- 2019: Fabio Fognini
- 2018: Rafael Nadal
- 2017: Rafael Nadal
- 2016: Rafael Nadal
- 2015: Novak Djokovic
- 2014: Stan Wawrinka
- 2013: Novak Djokovic
- 2012: Rafael Nadal
- 2011: Rafael Nadal
- 2010: Rafael Nadal
- 2009: Rafael Nadal
- 2008: Rafael Nadal
- 2007: Rafael Nadal
- 2006: Rafael Nadal
- 2005: Rafael Nadal
- 2004: Guillermo Coria
- 2003: Juan Carlos Ferrero
- 2002: Juan Carlos Ferrero
- 2001: Gustavo Kuerten
- 2000: Cédric Pioline
- 1999: Gustavo Kuerten
- 1998: Carlos Moya
- 1997: Marcelo Rios
- 1996: Thomas Muster
- 1995: Thomas Muster
- 1994: Andrei Medvedev
- 1993: Sergi Bruguera
- 1992: Thomas Muster
- 1991: Sergi Bruguera
- 1990: Andrei Chesnokov
- 1989: Alberto Mancini
- 1988: Ivan Lendl
- 1987: Mats Wilander
- 1986: Joakim Nystrom
- 1985: Ivan Lendl
- 1984: Henrik Sundstrom
- 1983: Mats Wilander
- 1982: Guillermo Vilas
- 1981: Guillermo Vilas/Jimmy Connors (final not played due to rain)
- 1980: Bjorn Borg
- 1979: Bjorn Borg
- 1978: Raúl Ramírez
- 1977: Bjorn Borg
- 1976: Guillermo Vilas
- 1975: Manuel Orantes
- 1974: Andrew Pattison
- 1973: Illi Nastase
- 1972: Illi Nastase
- 1971: Illi Nastase
- 1970: Zeljko Franulovic
- 1969: Tom Okker
- 1968: Nicola Pietrangeli