2023-12-31 10:20:40
Rafael Nadal, absent from the courts for almost a year, left the door open on Sunday for a continuation of his career after the 2024 season, while recognizing that there was “a high percentage” of chance that the tour He is currently embarking on his last trip to Australia.
“The problem when I say that this will be my last season is that I cannot predict 100% what will happen in the future,” he said at a press conference.
“Obviously the percentage (chance) is high that this will be the last time I play here in Australia (…) But if I’m here next year, don’t tell me: ‘You said that it would be your last season+, because I didn’t say it,” he added.
After 347 days of absence due to a hip injury, the 37-year-old Spaniard made his return to the Brisbane tournament on Sunday evening. Associated with his compatriot and coach Marc Lopez, he lost in doubles 6-4, 6-4 against the Australian pair Jordan Thompson/Max Purcell, but appeared sharp and mobile on the Pat Rafter court.
He will enter the running in the singles table, facing an old acquaintance, Dominic Thiem. The Austrian, from qualifying, who is also attempting a return to the highest level, after having suffered in recent seasons, was his victim twice in the Roland-Garros finals.
The big question concerns his state of health, after 22 years of a career rich in titles, 22 Grand Slams, which will have bruised his body with numerous injuries. The last one on the iliopsoas, which required two operations, occurred during the Australian Open, on January 18, 2023
“I cannot predict how I will be in the next six months. I cannot predict if my body will allow me to enjoy tennis as much as in the last twenty years,” insisted Nadal, who confessed to having thought about withdraw from tennis during his long convalescence.
“If I thought about retirement during that time? Of course I did. I had to go through a lot to be back,” he said, “but at some point I decided to continue. I had the determination to continue.”
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