The 38-year-old tennis legend lost to longtime foe Novak Djokovic on July 29 at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Even though he lost to longtime rival Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles category at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal isn’t quite ready to give up on the game.
Following his July 29 battle versus Djokovic, 37, which was the 60th meeting between the two tennis greats, 38-year-old Rafael Nadal addressed speculations of his impending retirement.
“I can’t go through every day worrying about whether or not this will be my final match. I come here, play, and give it my all. And I promise to let you know if I decide to continue playing or stop. After losing, Rafael Nadal reportedly stated, “I don’t know,” as reported by The Associated Press.
The athlete gave Djokovic an emotional hug following the player’s 6-1, 6-4 triumph. “If I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or that I am not physically ready to keep going, I will stop, and I will let you know,” the athlete continued.
In light of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s recent injury troubles, there have been rumors that Nadal may retire.
In recent months, Rafael Nadal, the winner of gold medals in both singles and doubles in previous Olympics, has been evasive about his tennis career’s future. Nadal declined to declare in May that the 2024 French Open would be his final tournament.
The Athletic reports that Rafael Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion, cautioned reporters, “Don’t assume that,” during a news conference. There’s a very good likelihood that this will be my final Roland Garros. If I must say, though, is that this is my final Roland Garros? I apologize, but I am unable to foresee what will happen, therefore I will not.
Dedicated supporters cheered “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” as Nadal exited the court after his Olympic match, according to The AP.
However, the athlete seemed stoic. The athlete is also playing in doubles at the Olympics with Carlos Alcaraz, who is 21 years old.
“It’s nearly impossible to play against Novak without hurting him and without the legs of twenty years ago,” he remarked.
He went on, “He played much better than me (from) the beginning to the end.”
Regarding Djokovic, he admitted that the match between the two, which was witnessed by tennis great Billie Jean King and Snoop Dogg, had particular significance for the supporters.
According to The AP, Djokovic remarked, “You could feel the tension coming into the match, but also incredible hype, incredible atmosphere.” “A lot of people were interested in this match. A live viewing was desired by many. People also wanted to watch it on television. I was really incredibly honored to be involved in this game.