Rafael Nadal, one of the fittest men in the world, has suffered ‘unpleasant moments’ after testing positive for Covid-19 after returning home from the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.
“On my return home after playing the Abu Dhabi tournament, I have tested positive for Covid in the PCR test that was performed on me when I arrived in Spain,” said Nadal.
“Both in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi we passed controls every two days and all were negative.
“I am having some unpleasant moments but I hope that I will improve little by little.
“I have reported the result to those who have been in contact with me.
“As a consequence of the situation, I have to have total flexibility with my calendar and I will analyse my options depending on my evolution.
“I will keep you informed of any decisions about my future tournaments! Thank you all in advance for your support and understanding.”
Nadal, 35, 20-time Grand Slam champion, was beaten by Britain’s Andy Murray in the semi-finals of the exhibition event on December 17.
Nadal made his comeback in Abu Dhabi after a foot injury had ruled him out of the final months of the 2021 season.
The Spaniard had planned to play in an ATP tournament in Melbourne before competing at the Australian Open, which starts on January 17.
