Vost of what has been said about Rafael Nadal in the past few days is terribly exaggerated. For example, the pathos of Roland Garros tournament director Amélie Mauresmo. It was “heartbreaking” that the Spaniard would be absent from Paris for the first time in 19 years, she felt “pain and sadness”.
In all honor to the sadness of the tennis world, but: Nadal is alive and, as the almost 37-year-old showed on Thursday, even quite satisfied. The protractedly injured Grand Slam record champion described himself as a positive person who listens to his body’s signals and whose happiness in life does not depend on winning another major tennis title.
No single player is more important than a Grand Slam tournament, Nadal said when the unvaccinated Novak Djokovic was not allowed to take part in the Australian Open 2022. Is correct. But it’s also true that the French Open has grown in importance thanks to its 14-time tournament winner and will remain associated with him forever.
Let’s not mourn the impending farewell of a champion, but rejoice over a person who is at peace with himself.
