Rafael Nadal reveals how he incredibly recovered from the 4-hour epic match against Mariano Navone to be available for the Bastad Open semifinals
Nadal played six hours of tennis on Friday, proving he still has that 'fire' intact.
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Rafael Nadal (via Imago)
Former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has reached his first ATP final in almost two years at Bastad. The Spaniard defeated Croatian wildcard Duje Ajdukovic, coming back from a set and breakdown to secure his 11th win of the season.
However, Nadal’s work ethic was evident not only on the court but also off the court. ‘The King of Clay‘ had only 24 hours to recover from his four-hour marathon match against Mariano Navore, yet he managed to be ready for the semifinal.
I did some ice massage after the match I did 20 minutes of bicycle, a lot of hydration, tried to sleep early but for Spanish people it's not easy. I just tried to rest but its difficult when you have a tired body. You sleep a lot and I know that since a long time. I was able to rest for a while.Rafael Nadal said in the post-match press conference
The Spaniard played six hours of tennis on Friday, mainly highlighted by his marathon singles match. He was also in action in doubles with Casper Ruud, defeating Theo Arribage and Roman Safiullin 6-4, 3-6, 12-10.
Rafael Nadal on how he recovered from his 4 hour epic match yesterday with an ice bath and then used the bicycle and tried to go to bed early but it's hard for Spanish people to do that he says ??? pic.twitter.com/tHjjr1UFkb
— Tennis Weekly Podcast (@tennisweeklypod) July 20, 2024
Due to his incredibly demanding schedule, Nadal withdrew from his doubles semifinal against the Brazilian duo Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos. He was scheduled to face them after his singles semifinal match.
In the morning, it was difficult to keep sleeping. But, it was enough. The most important is the victory, but even more important is that after the four-hour match yesterday, I was able to play today.Rafael Nadal added
Rafael Nadal to make his US Open decision after Paris Olympics
After defeating Cameron Norrie at the Nordea Open, Rafael Nadal was asked about his plans for the US Open. Although his name is on the entry list, the Spaniard said he would decide on the tournament after the Olympics. He plans to play singles and doubles with Carlos Alcaraz at the Olympics.
Nadal mentioned he would only decide to participate in the US Open after the Olympics. The 22-time Grand Slam winner is listed for the event, starting in August. He has talked about retiring several times but hasn’t confirmed when he will stop playing.
There have been rumors that the Olympics might be Nadal’s last event. However, his inclusion in the US Open entry list raises doubts about his retirement plans.
However, the left-hander has confirmed his participation in the Laver Cup. He was last seen in that tournament during his long-term rival Roger Federer‘s retirement in 2022.
In case you missed it!
- Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from his men’s doubles semi-final match alongside Casper Ruud
- Rafael Nadal beat Duje Ajdukovic in an exciting game to enter his first ATP Final in over 2 years
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Fahad Hamid
(718 Articles Published)