Rafael Nadal rocked the tennis world by announcing his renunciation of defending the title he won last year at the US Open. While not an unexpected decision, the former world number 1 had been tempted to reconsider his position following the cancellation of the Mutua Madrid Open.
The Masters 1000 in the Spanish capital, which was supposed to take place from 13 to 20 September, was canceled due to the wave of contagions in recent weeks. The Majorcan phenomenon will concentrate all his energies on Roland Garros, aware that – in the event of a thirteenth triumph in Paris – he would equal the 20th Grand Slam record of eternal rival Roger Federer.
Meanwhile, Nadal attended a virtual press conference from his residence in Mallorca, where he revealed all his concern for the resumption of the season.
Nadal in the current season
“My heart tells me it would be better to do it (focus on 2021 and consider the current season lost), but there are many other interests,” said Rafael Nadal.
“(Never) he would have wanted 2020 like this,” said the Spaniard. Neither me nor anyone else. After we will see what can happen in 2021 and I will face it with the utmost hope, yes, it is coming, and with the greatest possible professionalism.
It caught me in old age and in a good professional moment of my career. Therefore, the positivity on a professional level was not there anyway “, said Nadal. Rafael Nadal also spoke at length about the cancellation of the Madrid Master, for which he had already announced his participation via Twitter.
“It was an unfortunate situation for the city and for the organizers,” said Nadal. “The health situation makes it very difficult for events of this caliber to take place with players from all over the world and many who would have come from New York.
The situation in recent days in Spain may not be fully controlled and with outbreaks of contagion, so you have to have a little patience to see how things are going “, continued Rafael Nadal.” A tournament of this caliber is not organized overnight. .
Financially I understand that a tournament of these conditions, without an audience and with all the protocols to prepare, would have been a disaster for the promoters. I don’t know if I will play for Roma or not, “said Nadal.
“I await news of the new calendar adapted after the cancellation of Real Madrid and from there I will have to make decisions.”
