Can the legendary Rafael Nadal retire from tennis with an ultimate success? Laura Robson hopes the 22-time Grand Slam winner gets the farewell he wants.
The 37-year-old Spaniard, who has announced he will retire after the 2024 season, returned to competition in Brisbane in January after being sidelined for almost a year with a hip flexor injury.
He was then sidelined again by a hamstring problem and although he missed Monte-Carlo last week before returning to Barcelona, he said he was still far from being in top form and did not know whether he would play at the French Open next month.
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Nadal admits his body does not allow him to give 100 percent in every match as the 14-time French Open champion targets another appearance at Roland Garros in June
Nadal defeated Wild card Darwin Blanch 6-1 6-0 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Thursdaywhile his wife and 1-year-old son Rafael Jr. look on.
The Spaniard appeared to be in good form and showed no physical limitations in only his third competitive game since returning from his last injury break.
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However, after losing to Alex De Minaur in the second round in Barcelona, the Australian will also be his second round opponent in Madrid on Saturday – not before 3pm BST. live on Sky Sports Tennis.
Nadal, who has struggled with injuries and is currently ranked 644th in the world, said he would only compete at Roland Garros next month if he felt physically able.
He has won the French Open 14 times and will likely make his final appearance at a tournament he has made his own in recent years.
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Watch highlights of the Madrid Open match between Nadal and 16-year-old Darwin Blanch
“I try to play 100 percent, but I can’t give 100 percent every day,” Nadal said after his win against 16-year-old Blanch.
“I used to be able to give my 100 percent most of the time. Today I can give my 100 percent, sometimes 40 percent, sometimes 60 percent, sometimes 70 percent, and if I manage to increase this percentage day after day or week after week, why not in the future? If not, it’s impossible.”
Will Nadal get the sendoff he wants?
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Nadal believes he will not play at the French Open if he has the same feeling he had at the start of the Madrid Open
Sky Sports tennis analyst Robson says Nadal has been somewhat unlucky with injuries but he will only take part in tournaments if he knows he has a chance of winning them.
“I really feel sorry for him because it seems like it’s just one problem after another and that happens to everyone when you come back after such a long break. “His original hip flexor injury left him unable to compete for a year and that may be fine now, but then he developed the back and knee problems,” Robson explained.
“It feels non-stop for him at the moment. He’s won Monte-Carlo 11 times, so he’s probably thinking, ‘I won’t play in this tournament if I don’t know I can win it’.”
“Nadal has previously stated that he wants to retire after the 2024 season and you really hope he gets the farewell he wants because he traveled to many tournaments, almost took part in them and then had to cancel “the last moment.”
When could Nadal end his professional career?
Nadal could be primed for a farewell to the Laver Cup in the presence of the great Roger Federer
With the Paris Olympics also on his agenda, Nadal could be ready to celebrate a swan song to the Laver Cup in Berlin after accepting Bjorn Borg’s invitation to play for Team Europe in September.
Nadal and Roger Federer famously teamed up in doubles at the 2022 Laver Cup in London to play the great Swiss’s last match before retiring. So wouldn’t it be ironic if the great Spaniard played his last game in the presence of a tennis great?
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Barcelona Open second round highlights as Alex de Minaur beat Nadal
What can you expect from Sky Sports Tennis?
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Discover all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours
Ahead of the second Grand Slam of 2024 – the French Open in Roland Garros from May 26th – you can watch all the big tennis stars in action Live on Sky Sports as they compete against each other throughout the clay court season.
- Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome (ATP and WTA Masters 1000) – 7th – 19th May
- Geneva Open (ATP 250) – 20-26 May
- Lyon Open (ATP 250) – 20-26 May
- Strasbourg International (WTA 500 with Emma Raducanu in action) – 20-2. May
- Morocco Open (WTA 250) – 20-26 May
Here’s how to watch tennis matches on Sky Sports
The tennis stars will appear daily on the new Sky Sports Tennis channel
Sky Sports has confirmed a new home for tennis in the UK and Ireland with Sky Sports Tennis on Sky and NOW, bringing tennis content to fans all day, every day.
Sky Sports will broadcast more live tennis than anywhere else and over 4,000 matches from more than 80 tournaments per year on the ATP and WTA tours, as well as full coverage of the US Open, all exclusively live.
Non-Sky subscribers can stream live games with a NOW Sports Day and Month membership via Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Sports ArenaAnd Sky Sports Mix Channels.
For further access, fans can also follow their favorite players and gain deeper insights into both tours via Sky sports newsThe Sky Sports App, on SkySports.com and via Sky Sports social channels.
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