Flickering like a candle in the wind — Rafael Nadal’s tennis career
His leave period is extending. Is it time to leave?
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Rafael Nadal is currently in Father Time (Image Credits: Martin Keep/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)
Tik-tok is a fun app, that rages on cell phones and social media. Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock is real, when every second on the clock or watch records a time-lapse. Life is measured in various coordinates, where time and space are measured as important parameters. Who would have thought, a fortnight before the French Open in Paris, the clock will be ticking for the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles?
King of clay Spanish hero, and heart-throb for many girls in the past, Rafael Nadal faces Father Time. A bit about what Father Time really is. It depicts from ancient days an old bearded man carrying a scythe and an hourglass in hand. Times have changed. From the old hourglass to clocks, then traditional watches to quartz clocks/watches, the whole concept of keeping an “eye on the clock” has changed.
Why are we talking about clocks and watches? Well, the world is watching a reality, a certainty, rather uncertainty, as Rafael Nadal stares at time and empty space as he seems unfit and unprepared to carry on his legendary stuff at the French Open. Like the “bad boss” at work who refuses you leave in a gruff voice by saying “no,” Nadal seems caught in a maelstrom. His preparations for the French Open and life at large on tennis courts look bleak.
“I offered him [Nadal’s agent Carlos Costa] one of the wild cards,” Jean-Baptiste Perlant told French sports daily L’Equipe. “He very kindly told me that Nadal was continuing his preparation at home in Manacor, that he was not ready and was in a race against time to be ready for the French Open.” What was the wild card for? Believe it or not, a Challenger tennis event beginning today this week in Bordeaux, France. As a last ditch to get the champion ready for the French Open, playing in a low-level Challenger was being explored as an option.
Three days ago, when a video of Nadal clutching his midriff region went viral on social media, surrounded by his coaches, there was shock and agony for all. The winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, after more than four months of a break from tennis, is still unfit. Nadal has himself been posting on social media, how he is unprepared, or to make it confusing, is still preparing.
Fans refuse to believe all this today. His fitness is way down, almost at a point where to play best of five sets on clay courts at the French Open is next to impossible. Nobody is really doing a hit job on Nadal, vis-à-vis his fitness. The harsh truth is he is not in shape to be ready for the tennis grind any longer. All these years, one knew Nadal would be ready for the French Open, come what may.
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Nadal seems incapable of a comeback
He has been a bit like the fighter pilot ready to scramble into the Rafale fighter aircraft, hit the control buttons in the cockpit, climb into sky in seconds, then disappear from the sight of the human eye.
This Rafael Nadal is unable to take flight, the whole runway which he used — clay courts — seems slippery for him. His injuries and fitness are well known. There is no word on his pain, his trauma, his agony. Almost every champion in any sport handles the pain barrier. Some learn to live with it, especially in combat sport.
No boxer can play minus pain. No martial art exponent can say he is a 100 percent. Being fully fit is actually untrue, for fitness is not just assessing the human body with gizmos and medical equipment. Fitness is physical and mental, and the emphasis on the second part is growing exponentially these days. Nadal could decimate opponents with his sheer presence on the tennis courts till 2022. He was intimidating and ruthless.
That is how he won 14 French Open titles, which is like spending 28 weeks on the brick-red Parisian clay without losing a match. See how the concept of time changes? Today this guy looks incapable of staying minus pain for 14 hours at a stretch. If that be the case, he should be resting, away from courts. Rest, recovery, and rehab are phrases used to suggest a champion can recover, in any sport.
No, Nadal seems unable to push anymore. A cocktail of injuries and fitness woes have ravaged his precious body. His facial contours are one of pain. Nadal seems incapable of a comeback, for there are a pack of pedigree hounds waiting to devour him, from Carlos Alcaraz to Holger Rune. And, never forget, wily old fox Novak Djokovic has that mystery element which he could use even in Paris.
Looks bleak, almost hopeless for Nadal. If he does enter the French Open, minus the top seeding, which he used to be assured of, it would be bizarre. His leave period is extending. Is it time to leave? Rafa Nadal alone can answer that. Vamos!
In case you missed it:
- “It’s sinking me more and more,” Caroline Garcia breaks down in tears expressing frustration over her ‘nightmare’ poor run on the tour
- Holger Rune dismisses John McEnroe’s notion of him getting the reputation of a ‘bad boy’
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)