December 07, (THEWILL) – Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has suggested that 2024 will likely be his final year competing on the men’s tour. The 36-year-old Spaniard made the revelation in a video shared on his social media accounts on Thursday, as he continues his recovery from hip surgery.
The tennis great has not played since losing in the second round of the Australian Open in January and is targeting a comeback in January 2023 at the Brisbane International. In the video, Nadal admitted he has contemplated retiring from the sport on multiple occasions due to his lengthy injury struggles.
“Of course, I have thought many times that it did not make sense to continue playing,” Nadal said. However, he stated he wants to try and end his illustrious career on his own terms rather than in a press conference. The 22-time Grand Slam champion said the support of those around him has helped keep “the illusion” of a comeback alive during difficult rehabilitation phases.
Worryingly for his legions of fans, Nadal warned there is a “good chance” 2024 will be his final season. “There are chances that it may only be half a year, there are possibilities that it may be a full year, there are possibilities that we may not be able to reach all that,” he explained. The Mallorcan star said he is focusing on taking things one tournament at a time but cannot be “100% sure” how his injury-prone body will hold up long-term.
Should Nadal retire after 2024, it would make him the second member of the “Big Three” to step away, after Roger Federer ended his career last year. That would leave Novak Djokovic, winner of three Grand Slams and the ATP Finals in 2023, as the lone survivor of their era of dominance. Djokovic currently leads the Grand Slam title race with 24, two ahead of Nadal and four ahead of Federer.
The Big Three have collected a combined 63 Grand Slams between them since 2003 in a period of unprecedented excellence that may never be replicated.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
