Rafael Nadal drops major retirement update as he pulls out of French Open due to injury

Rafael Nadal, a Spanish tennis player, said on Thursday that he would not play in the French Open this year due to a hip ailment, leaving him off a court and a competition he has dominated. Nadal, who claimed 14 victories at the French Open, hinted that 2024 might be his last year playing tennis professionally.

At a press conference, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said that he has not fully recovered despite eyeing a return at the Roland Garros tournament while out of action since January 18. The legendary tennis player, 36, was compelled to skip the clay tournaments in Madrid and Rome earlier this month in addition to the Monte Carlo Masters.

“The injury hasn’t healed as we wanted; we’ve worked a lot to try to get back on the pitch. But it’s impossible for me to play at Roland Garros. It’s a shame. It’s difficult, but my body has decided for me. I won’t play for the next few months as the results of the last few months have been of a low level,” Nadal said in a press conference where he made the announcement.

‘2024 is probably going to be my last’ – Rafael Nadal

Despite his recent success, Nadal claimed he couldn’t ‘enjoy’ playing tennis after the epidemic. Adamant that he wants to complete his career the following year, the Spaniard also stated his ambition to compete in all significant events during the 2024 campaign.

“I want to play continuously; I’ve always had so many injuries. It’s difficult when it’s so complicated to work. There have been important victories, but the reality is that they’ve been complicated. In the last few months, I’ve worked hard to get back. I want to take the time to recover and get back to the highest level possible. I won’t give a return date; I will return when I’m ready mentally and physically. One goal could be to return to Davis Cup play and start 2024 well, with the guarantee of being able to be competitive.

“2024 is probably going to be my last year on the professional Tour. My motivation is to try and enjoy and say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important to me,” Nadal said.