After Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal could be the next to retire. The 36-year-old Spanish tennis legend will not step onto the courts of Roland Garros this year, for the first time since 2004, due to a persistent injury.
“My injury has not developed as it should,” he declared. Rafael Nadal Thursday, May 18, during a press conference at his academy in Mallorca, Spain, according to what he reported related tennis. “It would be impossible for me to participate in Roland-Garros. […] I just want to give myself the chance to compete again for what will be last year. I hope 2024 will not be just a year of appearances, but a year where I can win the trophies I play. It will be difficult, but we have to hope for it. »
There is no timetable for his return, but he hopes to play in the Davis Cup for Spain later this year.
“The last few years have been difficult and it has been difficult to find some consistency in my work, which is what I need,” he said. The best thing to do now is to take a break and see if the body recovers in the coming months. »
Roger Federer, her longtime rival, retired last year and the “big three” era is coming to an end. This will be the first Roland Garros tournament since 1998 without Nadal and Federer. Novak Djokovic, the youngest of the three (35), will continue the legacy after the departure of Nadal and Federer. The three of them won 64 Grand Slam singles titles.
Roland-Garros will be held from May 28th to June 11th, and Carlos AlcarazNadal’s fellow Spaniard, is expected to be the top seed.
Nadal injured his lower abdomen and upper right leg at the Australian Open in January and has not played a match on clay since the start of the season. He has already withdrawn from tournaments in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.
The Spanish tennis star is tied with number one rival Novak Djokovic with 22 Grand Slam singles titles, twice more than the now-retired Roger Federer.
Without Nadal in Paris, it would have been easier for world number one Djokovic to win 23H A major tournament, which is a record, even if Alcaraz will replace him in the standings as of Monday.
“The best opponent I’ve ever faced, the biggest opponent I’ve ever faced,” Djokovic said of Nadal in February. “We have played 59 matches against each other, which is the largest number of clashes between two players in the history of tennis. »
He added, “We are still going strong. I am happy that we are challenging Al-Shabab for the biggest titles. And I think one of the reasons we continue to play with each other at a high level is because he is moving forward because I am moving forward, or vice versa.”
“I think that’s the good thing about this rivalry,” he continued. “I feel like a lot of people around the world who follow sports and tennis want us to keep moving forward, until we can’t do that anymore,” he said, laughing.
Rafael Nadal won the last major title in Paris a year ago against him Casper RoadUnder the proud gaze of King Philip VI of Spain. He had recovered from a cracked rib in Indian Wells to win the second Grand Slam after the Australian Open. However, he injured his stomach at Wimbledon and had to withdraw before his highly anticipated semi-final match against Nick Kyrgios.
At the US Open last fall, he was beaten in the fourth round by the American Francis Tiafoe In what was the biggest victory in American life. At this year’s Australian Open, Nadal injured his hip in the second round against the American Macy McDonald And lost in two sets.
He will therefore miss the annual spring rites in Paris, which will deprive Djokovic of his best rivals, but give him a greater chance of winning the title.
Translated article from the American magazine Forbes – Author: Adam Zagoria
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