Rafael Nadal has played only four matches this year, struggling with a hip injury and planning to make one last push in 2024. Nadal claimed two Major crowns in 2022 despite many issues, dealing with his troubled foot and contemplating retirement after conquering his 14th Roland Garros!
Nadal skipped the second part of 2021 due to a foot injury before making an incredible comeback last year. The Spaniard performed a miracle escape against Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final, winning 20 matches in a row en route to the Acapulco title and the Indian Wells final.
Rafa fractured his rib in the desert and fell to Taylor Fritz in the title match. More importantly, he skipped his beloved events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, lacking form in Madrid and Rome. To make things worse, the foot pain was present again, and Nadal was not in a good position ahead of Roland Garros.The Spaniard brought his doctor to Paris and received foot injections before every match to neutralize the pain and endure the efforts.
He did that in style, as many times before, overcoming the most challenging obstacles to regain the trophy lost to Novak Djokovic a year ago. Thus, Nadal claimed his 14th Roland Garros title and the 22nd Major, becoming the oldest champion in Paris and improving his numbers that no one would match.
Rafa overpowered Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev to reach the final, dominating Casper Ruud to lift the trophy and writing history.
Rafael Nadal thought about retirement after last year’s Roland Garros.
Despite that, Rafa thought about retirement, finding it harder and harder to deal with constant pain and setbacks.
He continued his tennis journey, but more setbacks were approaching! The Spaniard experienced a seven-millimeter abdominal tear at Wimbledon that halted his progress and drained his chances at the US Open. Rafa lost in the fourth round in New York to Frances Tiafoe and missed an opportunity to become world no.
1 at 36. Nadal played one match at the Laver Cup alongside Roger Federer and returned to Mallorca to be with his wife. Xisca gave birth in October, and Rafa embraced the new role of a father. “I’m not planning to retire, but I must admit I almost made that decision in Paris.
I thought Roland Garros could be my last tournament. I endured those challenges, and everything has physically been a disaster for me for the past three months. My foot has not been well, and I injured my abdominal at Wimbledon and again in New York.
Alongside those setbacks at Majors, there were personal things and problems. Still, I do not think about retirement since things are not entirely lost. I would love to recover physically in the upcoming weeks and to see everything going well in my personal life; that’s the priority. I want to organize my life correctly, and I can start again after that,” Rafael Nadal said.
