Nadal and Alcaraz both out of Monte-Carlo

Neither Rafael Nadal nor Carlos Alcaraz will be competing at this year’s Monte-Carlo Masters, which begins this weekend.

Nadal’s absence is not a massive surprise – he hinted as much last month – but he confirmed it on social media on Tuesday morning.

“Hi everyone, I’m still not ready to compete at the highest level,” he wrote in Spanish on Twitter. “I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo. I am not yet in a position to play with the maximum guarantees and I continue my preparation process, hoping to return soon.”

Nadal has won Monte-Carlo 11 times.

His announcement was followed by one from his young compatriot and world No 2 Alcaraz, who wrote of the “physical discomfort” he had suffered in Miami, and added: “I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come.”

Alcaraz reached only the second round of Monte-Carlo in his previous appearance there last year.

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