Why we will never see tennis superstar Nadal win again

Unimaginable actually. 25 (!) years ago there were the last ones so far French Open without Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Swiss unsurprisingly announced his resignation last year, now Rafael Nadal also has to pass.

The hip flexor still hurts, even the painkiller machine can no longer cope with the increasingly difficult tasks. For the first time since 2004, the Spaniard is not there. Is he ever again?

One can reassure the many fans of the Spaniard. Perhaps the best tennis player in history, but certainly the best clay court player, does not end his career with a press conference. This year you have to do without the soon to be 37-year-old, but he will eventually reappear away from his academy in Manacor.

body as opponent

Nadal has been struggling with himself for years, and the great joy of competition has repeatedly been marred by severe pain. The body was his biggest opponent, he beat the others on the court in rows, especially in Roland Garroswhere he celebrated his 14th triumph last year.

The phase in which he joined the increasingly strong younger generation around compatriots was too short Carlos Alcaraz or Holger Rune could measure. Nadal is dying to catch up, to celebrate one last great triumph. He has his sights set on the Olympics in 2024, and where else but in Paris should it work?

Time does not stand still, the clock keeps turning even without Nadal. The new generation shows again and again how much the level of tennis has increased. Nadal was also used to constantly evolving.

You will see Nadal again, but not on the last days of the tournament, when the big finals take place – and that’s not a daring prediction (a mistake would never be so nice), but bitter reality. When Nadal hits Roland Garros next year, he’ll be 38. And an Alcaraz maybe even better than at the moment.

Big goodbye?

But the great Nadal will return to Paris. But before he wins the tournament a 15th time, it seems more realistic that he will give his big farewell. On Paris center court Philippe Chatrier. In doubles, like last year Roger Federer did at the Laver Cup.

And maybe the second tennis god will unpack his racket again for this occasion… Because a last double Nadal/Federer would draw a worthy line under a great tennis epoch. Illusion? Nadal played his last match with Federer at his favorite Laver Cup, maybe the maestro will do the honors in Nadal’s living room Roland Garros.