Rafael Nadal has decided to miss the Roland Garros 2023 and the whole season, due to the prolongation of the problems relating to the psoas muscle, caused by the injury of the Spanish champion at the Australian Open.
Not only that: in the press conference that announced his withdrawal from the French Open, Rafa also explained that 2024 could be his last tennis season, before his definitive retirement.
Accordind the Express, Nadal could give a great help to Roger Federer, and retire at the Laver Cup 2024. In the same event Roger Federer retired from, in 2022.
If this will be Rafa’s choice, Federer, one of the founders of the Laver Cup, could very well want Rafael Nadal in the competition, for give prestige to the challenge between the Europe team and the World team and give a romantic ending to their sporting rivalry and great friendship of the court.
Rafael Nadal out of Paris
Rafael Nadal held a special press conference inside his Academy to explain the reasons that led him not to take part in the upcoming Roland Garros.
The Spaniard, holder of no less than 14 titles in the Parisian slam, will in all likelihood postpone his return directly to next season, when all his fans and all tennis enthusiasts in general hope he will recover physically and will be able to play that which should be his last year on the circuit.
A tough decision, but a necessary one, explained the Majorcan champion.
The injury that has afflicted him in recent months has not healed, as hoped, but needs more time to allow Rafa to return to the field without pain. The 36-year-old has had a troubled season so far.
It all started at the Australian Open, the first major event of the season, but also the last for the 22-time Grand Slam champion, who injured his psoas muscle and has never set foot on the court since.
Nadal, who currently occupies the fourteenth position in the ranking, will lose another 2000 points and will leave the top 100 at the end of the French Major.
But this detail at the moment is marginal. The Spaniard, like his fans, hope to see Philippe-Chatrier ignite once again as only he has been able to do in the last twenty years.
Amélie Mauresmo, director of the Roland Garros, clearly said she was extremely sorry for this painful absence through the official Youtube channel of the tournament:
“It is news that saddens, first of all for Rafa, who loves playing in Paris enormously.
We can imagine how difficult this decision was for him to make. He now he will need some time and rest. We hope to see him again at Roland Garros next year.”
