Spanish maestro Rafael Nadal is one of the greatest players to ever have graced the tennis courts. In his long career, Nadal has amassed an enviable number of titles. Widely regarded as the ‘King of Clay’, Nadal has also conquered hearts along the way. Despite initially stating that 2024 would be his last, in a recent interview, Nadal cast doubts about his retirement.
It has been an injury-riddled year for Rafa. He incurred a hip injury during his shock second-round exit at the Australian Open earlier this year. Since then, Nadal has been on the sidelines, missing the three subsequent Grand Slams. In the meantime, Nadal underwent surgery and is recovering well.
The Spaniard appeared in a recent interview, where he spoke at length on a myriad of topics. Rafa gave an important update about his retirement. He gave hope to his fans about possibly extending his career, given his worn body permits it.
Rafael Nadal told @MovistarPlus he is still UNSURE 2024 will be his final season. 🚨🇪🇸
“If I were to tell you that 2024 will be my last year… who knows. What if suddenly my body recovers, and I feel strong and full of energy to continue? As soon as I know the answer, I will… pic.twitter.com/big8FWSeNY
— Relevant Tennis (@RelevantTennis) September 18, 2023
“If I were to tell you that 2024 will be my last year… who knows. What if suddenly my body recovers, and I feel strong and full of energy to continue?” said Nadal.
Nadal’s words conveyed his unspoken desire to keep playing. However, he did acknowledge his injuries and how mindful he has to be of his body and take each day as it comes.
He hopes that in a couple of month’s time, he will have better clarity about his progress. Till then, he has been working out diligently, as the world waits with bated breath for his return.
Rafael Nadal has had to contend with injuries
Injuries have taken their toll on the Spanish maestro. Nadal has had to contend with a host of injuries this year, but it seems he is not completely out of the woods yet.
In the last 12 months alone, Rafa has had to deal with psoas, and hip and foot injuries. He even underwent surgery to fix these issues, but he admitted to struggling. Even walking down the stairs is painful for him.
“There are times when the foot does not let me live in peace, it is difficult for me to even go down the stairs, and that happens sometimes,” said Nadal (via Daily Express).
Rafael Nadal brings a certain level of competitiveness to his matches. With 22 major titles under his belt, Nadal has been one of the true champions of tennis.
