Rafael Nadal drops retirement hint amid injury woes ruling him out of French Open

Due to a hip injury, Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal said on Thursday that he would not participate in the French Open this year, keeping him off the court and the competition he has dominated. At the French Open, where he amassed 14 victories, Nadal suggested that 2024 might be his final year playing tennis professionally.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner announced at a news conference that he has not fully healed despite planning to play again at the Roland Garros tournament after being sidelined since January 18. The great tennis player, 36, was forced to miss the Monte Carlo Masters and the clay championships in Madrid and Rome earlier this month.

“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.

‘My motivation is to try and enjoy and say goodbye’ – Rafael Nadal

Despite his recent success, Nadal claimed he couldn’t ‘enjoy’ playing tennis after COVID. The Spaniard, who is adamant about ending his career next year, has declared his desire to participate in all key competitions in 2024.

“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.