According to a statement provided by Nadal’s longtime publicist Benito Pérez-Barbadillo, Nadal “underwent a surgical procedure yesterday at the Teknon Medical Center in Barcelona, where surgery was performed on his right hand due to severe osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint.
“The procedure, carried out under the supervision of Ángel Ruiz-Cotorro, Rafa Nadal’s physician, together with Dr. Vilaro, and performed by Dr. Alex Lluch, consisted of an arthroplasty aimed at relieving pain and restoring mobility of the joint.”
Nadal played the final match of an illustrious tennis career last fall at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, having suffered foot and hip injuries—the latter requiring surgery—in the final years of his career.
The 14-time Roland Garros champion was feted in Paris this spring, joined by career-long rivals Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray on Court Philippe-Chatrier for a star-studded retirement ceremony. At the time, the soon-to-be 39-year-old revealed he had been off the court for eight months, but promised to make a return to action in some capacity in the future.
