Head over heart — Rafael Nadal faces an unclear future, though the writing seems to be on the wall
Having struggled with multiple injuries in the last few years, the writing might be on the wall for Rafael Nadal's professional career.
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Rafael Nadal (via Imago)
Everything there is to write about Rafael Nadal has been written, and then some. That he picked up the sport early in his life, that he adopted a conventional left-handed style and developed his signature one-handed forehand, that his technical prowess married well with his physical traits to make him one of the finest players in history — this has all been well documented.
He won 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Opens, 36 Masters 1000s titles, and two Olympic gold medals, among other stuff. He was the ATP World No. 1 for 209 weeks and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.
Yet, every time any discussion about Nadal comes up now, all of that is ignored to focus solely on his fitness, which injury most recently kept him sidelined, and how he must be cherished even if he makes early exits from tournaments big and small.
And therein lies the problem.
The price of success
In 2021, Rafael Nadal lost for just the third time in his career at the French Open. He exited in the semifinals, losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. He later pulled out of the Wimbledon Championships and also the Tokyo Olympics.
While it was initially blamed on scheduling reasons, it later came to light that he was suffering from a recurring left foot injury. The Mueller-Weiss syndrome, which Nadal’s fans and tennis followers in general would soon come to hear a lot about, is a very rare foot condition, and one that has troubled the Spaniard forever.
The 38-year-old took some rest, returned to action at the Citi Open, lost in the third round, and then took the remainder of the year off. Just when everyone began to wonder if his days at the top were done, he began 2022 by clinching the Australian Open. And followed it up by winning a record-extending 14th French Open title.
It was his 22nd Grand Slam title, putting him well clear of Roger Federer and Djokovic. Fans were delighted to see him back at his best, pundits were happy to acknowledge that his ‘waning’ prowess was as fine as ever.
And then came the story of how he pushed himself to achieve success, probably beyond the breaking point.
The comeback was not stronger than the setback
Nadal’s French Open preparations in 2021 were disrupted by a foot injury as well as a debilitating rib injury. After winning his 14th title at Roland Garros, he admitted that his win was surprising to many, including him, because his preparations heading into the tournament were not ideal.
It was a big surprise [to be here], unexpected and as everyone knows in the world of tennis, the preparation was not ideal. I had been off the practice courts for a month and a half with a stress fracture on my rib, and then I had [a problem with my] foot. It stayed there all the time. In Rome it was difficult, but it’s been amazing - I’ve had my doctor here with me.Rafael Nadal had then told Eurosport
And then came the big reveal — he was taking so making pain-killing injections that his foot was ‘asleep’ during his matches.
We played with no feeling in the foot, with a [pain-killing] injection on the nerve. The foot was asleep, and that’s why I was able to play.Rafael Nadal admitted
And he did not want to divulge how many injections translated into his title win in Paris.
It’s better you don’t know.Rafael Nadal opined
And like dominoes, things began to unravel for the former World No. 1.
Nadal suffered an abdominal tear just before Wimbledon that year. Despite being clearly troubled by it, he managed to make it to the semifinals before the issue became too serious to ignore. He withdrew from the tournament before his semifinal clash against Nick Kyrgios. He took a break and then competed in a handful of events at the end of the season without any remarkable results.
2023 was supposed to be when Nadal would return energized and write the latest chapter of his incredible career. That it would be the start of his final act in tennis is only clear in hindsight.
Never say never, unless…
A hip injury saw Rafael Nadal make a first round at the 2023 Australian Open. He promised to take his recovery one day at a time and refused to speak about his future. Despite doing his best, he was not on the comeback path and announced his withdrawal from the Indian Wells and Miami Masters. Then came the news of his withdrawal from the Monte-Carlo Masters, followed by the French Open, the grass swing, and the North American hard court season.
During this time he exited the ATP Top 10 for the first time since April 2005, which ended the longest Top-10 streak (912 consecutive weeks) in ATP history. He also fell out of the Top 100 by the end of the year, and his freefall continued.
In September, he held a press conference and said that he was targeting a return to the men’s tour in 2024. He also hinted it might be the last season of his professional career.
The 22-time Major winner competed at the Brisbane International, where he made a quarterfinal exit but also sustained a muscle injury. This led to another stint on the sidelines. But his goal for the year was clear, get fit in time for the French Open followed immediately by the Paris Olympics.
Returning to his best one last time to win Roland Garros and another Olympic medal sounded like the perfect script. But life likes throwing curveballs.
As planned, he was back in action for the clay swing, but all he could take home was participation certificates in Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, and the French Open. Desperate to get some momentum, he went down a few levels and played the Nordea Open, an event he last took part in 2005. He reached the final in the singles and semifinals in the doubles, and yet there were doubts about how he would fare against better opponents.
Those doubts were answered at the Summer Games, where he was drawn to face Novak Djokovic in the second round thanks to his fall in the rankings over the last few years. Barring a small period in the second set, the Spaniard was well beaten by the Serbian. His doubles campaign alongside Carlos Alcaraz also ended without a medal to show for.
And thus came crashing his dream of doing something special in what he hinted would be his final year on the ATP tour.
Over the years, Nadal has shown resilience that has been admired by everyone, studied by many, and replicated by very few. His almost stubborn nature of bulldozing his way through problems while adding to his trophy cabinet is part of tennis folklore now. And yet, that could be his undoing.
Stars, be it in sports or other walks of life, rarely walk into the sunset on a high. Their self-belief, which served them well in their careers, makes them pursue one final moment of glory, which is clearly well beyond their reach.
Federer is a good example of another tennis star from the same generation who struggled with injuries and had to retire by playing what is essentially an ‘exhibition’ event. Nadal is set to take part in the Laver Cup this year, and he will be wise to hang up his boots at the same event his frenemy Federer did two years ago.
His last few years dealing with injuries do not diminish everything he has achieved. There is nothing that would make his career look any less impressive than it already is. But the conversation about Nadal, whether he is playing or not, has completely moved from what he can do on the court to how best he can play without another injury derailing him.
The writing on the wall has never been clearer for an athlete in recent history. The heart will always want more, but it’s time for him to view the larger picture with his head and bring the curtains down. There’s more to his life beyond a professional career. He is a father now, has a family he can spend more time with (Federer can attest to that!), and runs a very successful tennis academy.
And who knows, his contributions to tennis could continue when he dons his coaching gloves. Not all great players become great coaches. But the likes of Juan Carlos Ferrero and Goran Ivanisevic have shown that it is possible.
But first things first. Nadal deserves one last moment in the spotlight, but a long-drawn goodbye, which we seem to already be in, is painful to watch. It’s time for Adios, amigo.
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Anirudh Velamuri
(58 Articles Published)