Rafael Nadal has to postpone his comeback again. Will he be able to play for a major title again?
Rafael Nadal’s new flagship discipline is short-term cancellation. A brief reference to the acute physical problem, then a sentence of regret at missing this tournament in particular, and finally the assurance that they will continue to work hard on a comeback. Now such a statement has also arrived for the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo, an event that Nadal has won eleven times so far and which marks the start of the European clay court season, i.e. actually the Mallorcan’s annual title festival. “My body just won’t allow it,” explained the 37-year-old.
Nadal has achieved practically everything in his career. He has won all four Grand Slams and a total of 22 major titles, as well as Olympic gold in singles and doubles and 92 tournaments on the ATP tour. He has celebrated over 1,000 match wins and earned over $130 million in prize money. But now his career is inevitably coming to an end, since a hip injury at the beginning of 2023 he has only played three games, including a dominant win in January against Dominic Thiem, but the next injury promptly followed (torn muscle) and now it is rumored to be back problems, that slow him down. And yet: Nadal is not yet ready to say goodbye to the sport that he has dominated for so long with his rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djoković. “I would like to say adios when I’m feeling good, being competitive and having fun on the pitch.”
Two events on his farewell tour – Nadal had announced that 2024 would most likely be his last season – have a special meaning. Both would take him to Paris, the place of his greatest successes: a renewed participation in the French Open (from May 26th), which he has won an incredible 14 times, and the Olympic tennis tournament, which, almost fatefully, also takes place at the Stade Roland Garros (from July 27th).
Numb to the title
But will Nadal be competitive by then? Will he even be able to play for the title at a major tournament again? The chances of this dwindle with every cancellation; he won his most recent Grand Slam title (French Open 2022) with a left foot that he had injected numb because of the great pain. On the other hand: The previous triumph in Melbourne 2022 was once again the culmination of a fairytale comeback after a long injury break. And yet as of today, an end to his career at a press conference seems more likely than a big farewell on Center Court.
The question remains as to what else would have been possible in this unique tennis career if Nadal’s body had played a little better. He missed 15 Grand Slams and three Olympic Games alone due to injury.
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2024-04-06 11:24:10
#worthy #Adios #Nadals #mission
