Don’t count Nadal out: Revival taking shape

Speculation that Rafael Nadal will hang up the racquet this season has come to a screeching halt, with the Spaniard breathing new life into his career.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion who has managed just 14 matches over this season and last due to various injuries showed signs of life in an interview with L’Equipe, advising Wimbledon and Paris to put any retirement ceremonies planned for him on ice.

The 38-year-old lost in the Roland Garros first round but then waved off plans by organisers to bid him farewell on court after a record 14 titles.

For the Spaniard, that kind of honour is premature and despite going out in the first round to eventual finalist Alexander Zverev, Nadal is preparing to push in with his record-breaking career.

“My sensations in recent weeks have made me want to explore a little more, to want to see what can happen,” he told the French sports daily.

“I’m rediscovering the pleasure of playing tennis, of enjoying myself.

“I want to give myself the opportunity to see if my physique remains at this level or if This is a passing moment and everything goes wrong again.

“I want to see how I feel after the Olympic Games, then we will see what happens, what decisions I make.”

Nadal has already called off his Wimbledon participation, saying he is not interested in making the surface change from clay to grass and back to clay for the Paris Olympics tournament during the last week in July.

 
“When I have to make a decision, I will make it without problems. I always said that this would be my last year.

“But I can’t be sure because at the end of the day you never know what can happen in the future.”

The veteran said that fighting back to form will not be easy, but he feels driven at the moment.

“The last two years have been difficult, I have been through a lot Complicated moments, especially with my hip operation, in addition to my abdominal problems and not forgetting the injury in Australia, have saddened me.

“I haven’t felt ready to train and play as I wanted to in a long time, but there have been. a positive evolution lately.

“I arrived at Roland Garros, perhaps, in my best moment of the last two years.”