Rafael Nadal may not be competing too long after his exit from the Australian Open
Tennis great Rafael Nadal departed from the Rod Laver Arena, leaving fans heartbroken following his second-round loss at the 2023 Australian Open.
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Rafael Nadal departed from the Rod Laver Arena, leaving fans in a state of shock, after his second-round loss at the Australian Open on Wednesday. There is nothing unusual about that, for victory and defeat are part and parcel of the game. What sunk in, albeit slowly, a few hours later, was his post on Instagram, where he left it vague as to whether he would ever return to Down Under.
Champion in 2022 at AO, Rafa’s exit was painful. If billions of his fans were in mourning, then many more owing allegiance to Novak Djokovic felt this will be the right platform for the Serbian to close in on his 22nd Grand Slam title. Well, none is going to mind it if Novak wins a few more and becomes The Greatest, in terms of an overall number of Major titles.
Spare a thought for tennis minus Rafa. His post on Insta did thank fans in Australia but there was no mention if he would return to the city of Melbourne in 2024. Sad, isn’t it? The point is if you are a tennis fan, you have to cheer everyone. To run down one player owing to fan allegiance smacks of bias and irrational. In sports, as in life, we learn lessons from all kinds of situations.
The gamut of emotions which Rafa and his wife underwent on Wednesday was like getting sucked into the vortex in a whirlpool. Tears were there not because the top seed was biting dust but because Rafa was in pain. For someone who has been through the pain barrier constantly, and dealt with injuries from head to toe — literally — a loss like this was not a big deal.
Nadal would have discussed his future
The Spaniard would have gone back to the locker room and then met his team and family and talked if he wants to undergo such trauma. No, it’s not about losing but bandaging the body (metaphorically) each time at a Major and then playing. Heck, this is not like as if he is playing tennis which is akin to a soldier fighting the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Rafa is a fighter but a peacenik as well. He is one hell of a dude, so what if he is 36 now? His hairline is receding, and he may look bald from one angle, but he still has girls and women go gaga over him. He was the young boy with a scowl who set hearts and hormones aflutter in his youth. His tennis is still magical, just that the rigors of modern-day tennis have taken a toll.
He needed nerve blockers (anesthesia injections) for his foot injury, plus he had to attend to all other issues relating to his arm, wrist, shoulder, elbow, and other joints. That his body has held up till now with such an extremely physical game for close to two decades is a miracle of sorts. For sheer longevity and the willingness to push the body beyond the limits of endurance, each tennis player crosses the pain barrier. Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and many more big players have also gone through the same journey. It was that kind of high from playing tennis that kept these legends going, fully aware they were hurting each time.
They say, in love, pain teaches you lessons. In sports, as well, losses teach you a lot. You got to love your fans and also yourself, eventually to lead a normal life. Federer went under the knife a few times for his knees, then gave up. Rafa is in a Catch-22 situation, to continue or to hang up the racket. He was emotional, teary-eyed at Federer’s farewell in the Laver Cup last year.
Does he need to push himself longer to prove anything more? He ranks on top among the pantheons today, no denying it. Fans can make comparisons, mock him, and ridicule him. It’s a bit like losing a dear one, only when he or she departs does it hit you. For sports lovers, each retirement is a trauma, when they say goodbye. Serena Williams left New Yorkers in tears last year at the US Open. Federer made all tennis lovers cry at the Laver Cup.
Going by social media, reactions, and a feel of the pulse, Rafa appears to be playing his last few Grand Slams. He won two in 2022, so to say he did not do well is a joke. He had a rib injury, tore his abdomen muscle, and now has hurt his hip. Is that worth the pain and still being mocked? No way.
The GOAT debate can go on. You can pick your favorite. Was Don Bradman the best or Sachin Tendulkar? Was Muhammad Ali the best boxer or not? Was Pele bigger than Diego Maradona? Or, is Leo Messi The Greatest? This debate gets toxic. Think about what will happen when Rafa says bye, and waves to you one last time. At least, one debate will cease, he was the best left-hander ever in tennis.
Whether you are a Novak or Rafa fan understand one thing, athletes are not jealous, they compete in an environment of peace. That’s why in tennis, they start with Love All, which is more than a numerical score.
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)