World number two Rafael Nadal plans to undergo appendectomy after the conclusion of the ATP World Tour Finals, a prestigious year-end event that takes place in London this November.
This development arose following the Spaniard’s surprise loss at the Shanghai Masters second round on Wednesday to Feliciano Lopez.
Nadal said that the surgery is needed to take place before the year ends in order for him to have enough time to recuperate in time for the Australian hardcourt season during the first month of the year.
“Yes, I need to do the surgery,” he said to the media. “I talked with the doctor in Spain. Is a lot of risk when [the inflammation] happens one time. Even if now is under control, is obvious going to come back.
“I don’t want it to come back, to have the same thing when I am in Australia, when I am in Indian Wells or Miami or when I am in Roland Garros. So I going to do it before the end of the year.
“My feeling today, and my answer today honestly is I going to do it after the World Tour Finals,” he said. “You never know. Depends how the things improve. I want to do it at the end of the year, not now.”
Nadal is currently taking antibiotics in order for him to compete in Shanghai.
“My thoughts is continue with Basel, Paris and London. Is true that the past few months I did not have the best of luck. I didn’t have the best of luck since Wimbledon. I was playing a good year, very positive year. After that I was unlucky with the wrist, what’s going on now. Now there remains three more tournaments for me.”
