Rafael Nadal issues retirement update after one-sided Olympics singles defeat by Novak Djokovic and makes bleak injury admission: ‘I’ve been suffering for two years’
- Rafael Nadal was outclassed by his old rival in his straight sets defeat in Paris
- The veteran Spaniard’s single run came to an end, raising questions about his retirement
- Nadal revealed he will make a decision about his future at the end of the Olympic Games
Rafael Nadal has announced that he will decide whether to retire from tennis after the Olympic Games, after losing to Novak Djokovic in the singles.
Nadal suffered a 6-1 6-4 defeat to his old rival on the clay courts of Paris on Monday in what proved to be a one-sided encounter between the two powerhouses.
For Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros champion, it was only his fifth loss at Roland Garros in 118 matches. But after struggling with persistent injuries in recent years and missing several tournaments, he may be considering quitting the sport.
The 38-year-old player is still fighting for the doubles title, partnering Spanish compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, but admits his glittering career at the top is almost over.
“I try to look ahead,” Nadal told reporters. “I gave myself until the Olympics.
Rafael Nadal has announced that he will decide on his retirement after the Olympic Games
Nadal lost to old rival Novak Djokovic in a one-sided singles showdown at Roland Garros
“When this tournament is over, I will make the necessary decisions based on my feelings and desires. It is difficult to recover when I think about whether I will retire.
‘For many people it is nonsense, I have been suffering from it for two years.
‘If I feel like I’m not competitive, then I decide to stop. I just do my best every day, try to enjoy something that I’ve enjoyed for so long.
‘I have been struggling with injuries a lot over the last two years.
“So if I feel like I’m not competitive enough to continue, or if I’m not physically ready to continue, then I’ll stop and let you know.”
Reflecting on his loss, Nadal said it was “easy” for him to admit that Djokovic is “a much better player” and stressed that he had to “accept” reality.
“I knew there was a chance it would go that way,” he added. “I couldn’t play at the level I needed to to create problems for him.”
Nadal could retire from the sport after struggling with persistent injuries and missing tournaments.
Nadal and Djokovic shared a warm moment at the net after their clay-court match in Paris
‘And Djokovic didn’t give me anything either, he was inspired and I didn’t have the consistent ball quality to put him in trouble.
‘I don’t have the legs of 20 years ago. Without the quality of the ball and without the legs of 20 years ago, you are not going to create problems for the best player in history.’
Nadal, nicknamed the King of Clay, was unable to contain the scorching Djokovic.
The two rivals, who have won a combined 46 Grand Slam singles titles, embraced at the net after the match, with Djokovic applauding Nadal off the court.