Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports

Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha next week as he continues to battle a left hip injury.

Nadal, 37, said he is planning to play at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., in March.

"I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly," Nadal said on social media. "Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won't be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014.

"I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament."

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, is scheduled to face fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas on March 3.

Nadal has played in just one tournament this year -- the Brisbane International in Australia. He won two matches before losing to Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.

He aggravated the hip injury during the tournament and pulled out of the Australian Open.

The three matches Nadal played in Brisbane are the only ones he has played since initially hurting the hip in the 2023 Australia Open.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Stars center matches Gretzky feat as Dallas pushes Avalanche to brink
Gritty young Thunder take down veteran Mavericks in Game 4
Cubs acquiring veteran reliever from Mariners
Top-five NBA Draft prospect suffers scary non-contact injury
Hurricanes stay alive with third-period outburst vs. Rangers
Jaylen Brown's big three-pointer gives Celtics 3-1 lead over Cavs
Avalanche star placed in player assistance program
Mercury announce devastating injury on eve of WNBA season
Randy Moss' son makes major football announcement
Reds place key outfielder on injured list with broken thumb
Tom Brady's broadcasting debut set for Week 1 of NFL season
Struggling Cubs reliever placed on injured list 
Report: Justin Fields had ‘toxic' relationship with ex-Bears QB
Extension makes Lions QB Jared Goff one of NFL's highest-paid players
Kentucky's Reed Sheppard displays excellent skills at NBA Draft Combine
Knicks big man undergoes another ankle surgery
Flames CEO stepping down, transitioning to advisory role
Oilers star seemingly dismisses Arturs Silovs' performance in Game 3
Bengals QB Joe Burrow is making a notable change to stay healthy in 2024
Orioles designate outfielder for assignment

Want more sports news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.