TENNIS
Nadal rules himself out in the fight for Grand Slam events in 2024
The Spaniard hopes to come back in action next year but believes that the probability of winning a major is very low.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have been the main stars in the men’s category in 2023. But what will happen if Rafa Nadal gets back into action next year? That’s the big question, but for the time being, the Manacor native is still working to make his return possible.
The 22-time major winner has lived the worst year of his career due to a hip injury that has kept him away from the tennis courts since January.
Everything seemed to be working for the former world No. 1 after defeating the talented Jack Draper in the first round of the Australian Open, but everything changed when he faced Mackenzie McDonald.
Nadal started having his hip issues in the match against the American, which ultimately translated into a shocking defeat in straight sets to the 28-year-old player.
Since that loss, Nadal unsuccessfully tried to recover and get back to competition, undergoing surgery on his hip to try to reverse the situation.
A Grand Slam tournament title, almost a chimera for Nadal
Nadal, who dropped out of the Top 100 for the first time since 2003, admitted he wants to be ready for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the calendar, something his uncle Toni revealed some days ago.
However, during an interview for the Spanish TV channel Movistar+, he said he doesn’t expect to be in the fight for the majors.
“That looks like very far away, even if not impossible. Things in sport change very quickly”, he stated.
He also talked about the decision to undergo surgery to have a chance of coming back at the highest level.
“Since Indian Wells last year, it has been a hard year and a half, with no peace of mind at all. There was no way to recover without surgery. I was not going to recover by stopping for a long time. I made the decision, and it turned out well”, he said.
Nadal, known for his competitiveness and for never giving up until the very last point, is not getting any younger at 37, and being out of competition for so long is another handicap he will have to deal with. However, the King of Clay didn’t seem too bothered about it and admitted he will enjoy 2024 even if it’s his last season.
“Maybe I would like a farewell tour. I live every day with the hope of allowing myself to have the opportunity to have the option of deciding. My physique and my head will tell me”, he concluded.
Now tennis attention will be on the Laver Cup, a tournament Nadal has won twice playing for Team Europe.