Rafael Nadal was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open with a leg injury during his quarter-final clash with Marin Cilic. The 2009 winner retired in the fifth set while trailing 2-0 to the Croatian as the pain got too much for him to continue. After the match the 31-year-old blamed his injury on scheduling and claimed the tour were doing very little to help protect the star players. However, Australian radio host Gerard Healy did not think much of Nadal’s excuses and branded his comments “rubbish”.

GETTY Rafael Nadal blamed his injury on the hectic ATP schedule

“Rafa, what a load of rubbish,” the former Aussie rules player and commentator told broadcaster 3AW. “Yes, there are some big names missing with injuries, but none have anything to do with the dates of the Australian Open.” Speaking about his injury after his defeat Cilic, Nadal said: “Somebody who is running the tour should think little bit about what's going on. “Too many people are getting injured. I don't know if they have to think a little bit about the health of the players.

Rafael Nadal injury: Shocking pics as ace quits Australian Open Tue, January 23, 2018 Rafael Nadal is forced to quit the Australian Open with an apparent leg injury Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 9 Rafael Nadal has been forced to pull out of the Australian Open due to injury

“Not for now that we are playing, but there is life after tennis. “I don't know if we keep playing in this very, very hard surfaces what's going to happen in the future with our lives.” However, Nadal is not expected to be in the treatment room for long and revealed he intends on making his return in three weeks. “As bad as it is to have to retire from the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament, the injury is not so serious,” he wrote on social media.

GETTY Rafael Nadal was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open with a leg injury