After his elimination and his farewell to Madrid, Rafael Nadal took stock of his program for the coming weeks. The Majorcan plans to line up in Rome, and will then make his decision with a view to Roland-Garros.
It sure felt like goodbye. While he announced that 2024 would probably be the last season of his career, Rafael Nadal was entitled to a moving ceremony Tuesday evening after his elimination in Madrid, against Jiri Lehecka. And the tears of his loved ones clearly show the importance of the moment, because the Mallorcan probably played his last match on Spanish soil.
So what now? While Nadal exceeded expectations, beating Alex de Minaur (11th in the world), and being able to play Tuesday evening the day after a 3-hour fight against Pedro Cachin, the rest of his program is still uncertain. “I’m still not sure about Roland-Garros, he told the media. I was able to play four matches here. I’m leaving Madrid with much better feelings than when I arrived here. It’s hard to imagine doing great things with my current level of play, but in sport everything can change very quickly. »
In Rome, and at Roland-Garros?
Nadal explains that he will decide on his participation in Roland-Garros after the Masters 1000 in Rome, because he intends to compete at the Foro Italico. “I’m going to try to play in Rome. A very special tournament in my career. I won 10 times there. I dreamed of playing all these tournaments again. I missed Monte Carlo. But now I want to play in Rome. And play well. Give me a chance to achieve this. Today is an unforgettable day. Say goodbye to Madrid. But my career continues. »
For now, Nadal is still standing. He is currently capable of playing matches in two winning sets, and even playing several days in a row, which is why we should see him in Rome. Roland-Garros, with its five-set matches, is the next level. Not (re)seeing Paris would be heartbreaking for the king of clay. But there will also be an Olympic Games this summer, in the same place, with a format which would undoubtedly better suit the Mallorcan’s state of form.
2024-05-01 05:26:00
#Nadal #announcement #RolandGarros
