Rafael Nadal to retire next year? Tennis star says ‘Good chance that…’
Australian Open warm-up event in Brisbane next month. Eleven months have passed since the Spaniard's defeat at Melbourne Park in the second round by American MacKenzie McDonald. Due to his hip ailment, he required surgery twice and, while out of action, dropped to 664th place in the world rankings.
Nadal has erred on the side of caution since naming the 2024 season as a possible venue for his comeback. With a full year out of the game due to an iliopsoas injury in his left leg, the Spaniard is now counting down the days until his return to professional tournament tennis at the ATP 250 in Brisbane, which begins on December 29. In a post on X, the 22-time Grand Slam champion wrote, “My last reflection after the announcement...
of course I thought that it made no sense (to compete again)... that it has been many years...; I have fought and I have maintained the illusion at all times; I have had the right people around me as I have always had throughout my career...; … the people who want to see me play have had an impact; There is a good chance that it will be my last year, without a doubt. Thank you all." However, the Spaniard also stated that it "makes no sense" to establish a retirement date.
In a recent social media video, the 22-time Grand Slam champion discussed the potential of retiring, adding that there is even a chance he will retire midway through the season if his body does not cooperate. In a season with extra incentives, such as the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where tennis will be played on Roland Garros clay, the Spaniard has simply conveyed a message of hope. Only time will tell what the boundaries of his decisions are, including the date of the end of a career that has already gone down in modern sports
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