Rafael Nadal (37) is still not fit after a long health break caused by injury and hip surgery. At Wednesday’s press conference, he confirmed that he will make his last career appearance at the Masters event in Madrid. He will enter the tournament with a Thursday duel with teenager Darwin Blanch. At the same time, his start at the French Open, where he has triumphed 14 times in the past, is in jeopardy. “If I feel like I do now, I won’t play the French Open.”
Rafael Nadal certainly did not please his fans or the organizers of the two big clay events at Wednesday’s press conference. The former leader of the rankings already announced before his return after another health break that this would most likely be his last season. It is at least certain that the home Masters tournament in Madrid will be the last appearance of his career this year.
“I don’t think I will be able to play to my full potential. But Madrid is very important and special to me and I want to play here for the last time.” said the clay king, who enters the tournament with a first-round match against 16-year-old teenager Darwin Blanch on Thursday.
An even bigger blow for fans of a member of the legendary Big Three must be the fact that his start on the clay at the top of the French Open season is in jeopardy. He won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam trophies on the Paris bricks. In the Roland Garros area, where the Olympic tournament will also take place this year, he last started the year before last and defeated Casper Ruud in the final.
“If I feel like I do now, I won’t play the French Open. I will only play if I’m competitive. If I don’t play, the world won’t collapse and my career won’t end. Even after the French Open, I have plans, like the Olympics.” said the Spanish veteran, who also promised to participate in September’s Laver Cup in Berlin.
Nadala’s defense of her triumph at last year’s Australian Open was stopped by a hip injury. Conservative treatment did not work, surgery was inevitable and he returned to the courts only this year. In January in Brisbane, he started by advancing to the quarter-finals, in which he missed a match point against Jordan Thompson.
A series of signings followed, and since the opening week of January he only featured in the previous week in Barcelona, where he lifted the champions’ trophy 12 times. However, his time in the Spanish capital this year ended already in the second round against Alex de Minaur. At the same stage, he may also run into the Australian in Madrid.
The article was originally published for Livesport Zprávy.
Tags: Nadal struggling lose beloved French Open play time Madrid
