Rafael Nadal is in the last part of his legendary career and fans are hoping he will achieve another great success before he says goodbye to professional tennis. The last year of the Spanish ace has not been particularly brilliant until now, also due to some physical problems that have tormented him in recent months.
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The 22-time Grand Slam champion tried to play those tournaments where he had a better chance of getting good results, but things didnt go well at either the French Open and the 2024Paris Olympics. The draw was not particularly favorable for him, but the level of play expressed by Rafa was far from what one would expect from a legend of his caliber.
The former world number 1 - who has not played an official match since the Olympic tournament - has resumed practicing in his academy in view of the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the champion from Manacor has been called up by Spanish captain David Ferrer for the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, which will be played on the indoor hard court in November.
Many people wonder if Nadal will actually be ready to play that event, maybe even in doubles with 4-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz. The two champions have already joined forces at the Paris Olympics, but were defeated by Ram and Krajicek in the quarterfinals.
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Rafa works hard
According to some insiders, the Davis Cup Finals could be Rafas last official event before retirement. At present, it seems very unlikely that the Spaniard will decide to play next year. In a recent interview with YouTube channel Sala de Jugadores, Ferrer spoke about the former World No.1: "I know Rafa is an honest person and that if he steps on the court, he will give his 100%.
I'm aware of his competitive capabilities; the issue he is facing is that physically he can't sustain the level for long periods, but in a single match, he can be unbeatable. You can never count out a player like him. The fact that he is so thrilled to be with the team, as he was the one who called me before the qualifying phase, makes me see that it's perfect to have him with us. He continued: If he is fit and I see him training properly, he will play singles. When the draw was announced, I sent him a message and told him to prepare to play against Botic Van de Zandschulp. His response was clear: 'I'll be ready.
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The 22-time Grand Slam champion had a very special career despite his injuries, becoming one of the best athletes of all times. His rivalry with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic has gone beyond tennis to create factions around the world. These three legends have shared most of their careers together, helping each other to improve and playing some of the best matches in the history of this sport. The former world number 1 has worked very hard again this year, but suffered several very painful defeats for a champion of his caliber.
ZizouBergs on Nadal
During a long interview with CLAY, ATP ace Zizou Bergs opened up on facing Nadal in Rome this year: "You come on court and you find his forehand, his backhand. You could say, okay, just avoid a little bit that forehand because it's really heavy and he will drag it into your backhand, which obviously any double-handed player doesn't really like.
He can play it so heavy as well. Those are two aspects in the rally, which is relatively tough to compete with. So it was more like, okay, it has to be important to step in the court a lot. You have to give yourself a chance, being technically wise. But he had some flashes, obviously, during the match where he really showed that he's the top of the top.
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Bergs also added: "His game is very tough. It's so heavy. Such a high spin balls. Playing my weaknesses. You can tell even his team did homework on me, what I don't like. The intensity he can give sometimes with his forehand and backhand, it's brutal. When you grow up, you watch him all the time on TV, he's your idol, you have photos of you wearing the same clothes as him, want to be him.
Rafa does not want to announce a final decision on his future in too much haste. Although the results have not been brilliant this year, the former world number 1 wants to wait for the right time before issuing a final verdict on his future.
