Rafael Nadal’s 18-year top 10 record will end after Indian Wells reveal

Rafael Nadal’s incredible 18-year record of consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the ATP rankings is set to end finally after the Spanish legend withdrew from Indian Wells and Miami due to injury.

It will mean the 36-year-old, who has spent nearly half his life in the top 10, will finally relinquish his place.

Nadal made the 2022 Indian Wells final and will lose 600 points from his withdrawal.

Currently, it would drop him to World No. 12.

However, he withdrew from the Miami Masters last year and won’t drop any more points until the Madrid Masters, which are scheduled for April 24 to May 7.

The rankings points won’t drop off Nadal’s ranking until Monday March 20 Australian time, which will mean he was in the top 10 for a total of 17 years, 10 months and 23 days or officially 912 weeks.

He went into the top 10 at 18 years, 10 months and 22 days.

It’s 124 weeks more than the second ranked Jimmy Connors and 738 weeks more than Roger Federer in third.

However, he will still be 56 weeks behind breaking Federer’s record of most overall weeks in the ATP top 10.

Nadal himself revealed in January that he would be out for six to eight weeks after his second round upset in the Australian Open.

Six weeks would have taken him to the week of Indian Wells, which is seen as the “fifth Grand Slam” and would not allow him to have any competitive matches.

Nadal expressed his sadness at missing the ATP 1000 events.

“I am sad that I won’t be able to compete at Indian Wells nor Miami,” Nadal said in a tweet which came after Indian Wells officials announced he had withdrawn from the tournament in the California desert that starts next week.

“Very sad not to be there. I’ll miss all my US fans but I hope to see them later this year during the summer swing.”

Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas said in a statement: “We wish Rafa continued healing, and hope to see him back at the BNP Paribas Open next year.”

Nadal, who said on January 26 that tests had confirmed a moderate muscle tear in his left hip, posted video on Twitter showing him training in the gym.

“Took my time off, started rehab, gym and physiotherapy as instructed by the doctors,” he said. “Getting ready to come back the in the best conditions.”

That likely means for the clay-court season that starts in mid-April and leads into Roland Garros, where he would be chasing a 15th French Open title in May.

Last year Nadal was undefeated heading into Indian Wells, having posted victories in an Australian Open tune-up in Melbourne before rallying from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final.

He won the ATP tournament in Acapulco and reached the final at Indian Wells, where he was stunned by American Taylor Fritz in the final as he battled a rib injury.

He returned to win his 22nd Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, a record that Novak Djokovic has since matched.