Nicolás Álvarez Varona undergoes double hip surgery to relaunch his career

Nicolás Álvarez Varona has undergone the first of a double hip surgery in Valencia with the aim of putting an end to the physical problems he had been facing since last season and returning to the circuit in full condition.

The Burgos native, 25 years old, had reached ATP ranking 284 and had been competing for months with discomfort that worsened significantly after the Challenger in Valencia, where he secured one of the greatest victories of his career by defeating former Top-30 player Jan-Lennard Struff, who later reached the Wimbledon 2026 quarterfinals.

After being forced to retire at the Challenger in Bratislava, Álvarez Varona underwent various medical tests. The opinion of several specialists was unanimous: surgical intervention was the most advisable option to ensure the future of his career.

The operation involved correcting existing bone deformities in the femur and hip, as well as repairing the injuries that these alterations had been causing over time. The surgeries were performed by Dr. Bruno Capurro, head of the Hip and Pelvis Unit at Hospital Ribera IMSKE and one of Spain's leading specialists in this type of surgery.

"This operation is not a standalone event, it is an investment in my career. I know I have the level to compete with the best on the circuit and I want to arrive with my body at one hundred percent," stated the tennis player himself.

His career path inspires optimism. At just 14 years old, he became the youngest Spaniard to earn ATP ranking points, even before Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. In 2019, he reached world junior number 7 after being an Australian Open quarterfinalist, and later made his ATP circuit debut, was twice a runner-up at the El Espinar Challenger, and aims to continue his climb towards the coveted top-100.

Although he admits to not having directly discussed this issue with other players, he is aware that hip injuries are becoming more common on the circuit, which helps him face this process with optimism. A new stage begins now. The priority is no longer competition, but full recovery to return to a circuit where he believes he can continue to grow and demonstrate the potential he has been hinting at for years.