Will tennis superstar Rafael Nadal find his way back to his old strength? The Spaniard has been condemned to watch since January. Now the 22-time Grand Slam champion has spoken out about his comeback plans in an interview.
While his long-term rival Novak Djokovic recently triumphed at the US Open, Rafael Nadal must continue to be patient. The 37-year-old was last on the tennis court at the Australian Open in January. In June, the veteran had to undergo a hip arthroscopy in Barcelona.
Nadal revealed in an interview with “Movistar Plus+” that he doesn’t watch much tennis at the moment. “I watched the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open, but I feel like I can’t completely switch off when I watch tennis. Because I don’t see it as a simple spectator, I analyze things,” quotes Marca. Nadal out of the conversation.
The clay court king had already announced in May that 2024 would probably be his last year on the ATP tour. “I claim it, but I can’t confirm it 100 percent,” Nadal now left at least a small back door open. The Spaniard explained that he hopes to know more about his fitness status in mid-November.
Tennis: Major title? Rafael Nadal remains realistic
Nadal described his goal as being “competitive” again. “But my goal is not to win Roland Garros or the Australian Open. That’s all very far away at the moment,” said the Mallorcan realistically, without wanting to completely rule out a surprise: “If I really believe that I can If I have a chance to win at Roland Garros, my tournament calendar will change.”
Nadal was repeatedly slowed down by injuries throughout his career. Nevertheless, the left-hander is one of the most successful tennis players of all time with 22 Grand Slam titles.