Photo: © REUTERS / Carl Recine, Andre Chaco / Keystone Press Agency / Global Look Press
Rafael was unable to defend the title in Australia, losing to the 59th racket of the world.
When you see how legendary athletes continue to break records, despite their age and competition from younger rivals, it makes you believe in a fairy tale.
The miracle of Lionel Messi, who led the Argentina national team to the world title at the right time, is a prime example. But often the opposite also happens. The fantastically successful Rafael Nadal could have ended his career as undefeated, but decided to go into the new season.
The first tournament ended with an injury and a very heavy defeat. Now it’s scary for the great champion.
Champion in action
Last year, the whole world with sadness forever saw off the court of Roger Federer. The Swiss was the first of the Big Four to leave the world of tennis. And, of course, many then wondered: who is next? Nadal, Djokovic or Murray?
Considering the difficult period in the sporting fate of everyone, one could expect a touching farewell speech from any of them. But still, Nadal, exhausted by injuries, according to experts, most of all claims to be the next candidate on the list of pensioners.
Although the Spaniard won two more Grand Slams last year (Australian Open and French Open), the season has been marked by persistent injuries. A foot, torn abdominal muscles, a broken rib – with such a bunch of diseases at the age of 36, winning major tournaments is, to put it mildly, not easy.
At the 2022 Final Tournament, he lost two out of three matches in the group and did not reach the semi-finals. But that didn’t stop him. Rafa decided that he still had the resource for new records:
There were several different stages this season, and this was due to physical problems. Everything changed when we found an effective way to treat the foot, which helped me a lot. This has radically changed the prospects for continuing my career,” the Spaniard happily said.
Too early
Nadal flew to Australia at the end of December and began to systematically prepare for the Australian Open, a tournament that he won only twice in his career (2009, 2022). Of course, this time he wanted to repeat the success of last year, and the public would definitely not refuse a fantastic final in the spirit of Nadal – Medvedev in 2022.
However, at the United Cup team tournament, which was a preparatory part for the start of the season, Rafa was still ill: he lost both matches as part of the Spanish national team. For the shape of the tennis player on the eve of the Australian Open, it became alarming, but in the first round he coped with Jake Draper, interrupting the losing streak. And inspired his fans:
“The last couple of months have not been easy for me, but I hope this victory will help change everything,” Rafa looked confident after the game.
In the second round, iron Nadal fell to the 59th ATP rating number McDonald, to whom the favorite sensationally lost dry (4:6, 4:6, 5:7).
“I can’t figure out what the problem is”
But the merit of the American in this victory is less than the combination of dramatic circumstances. Nadal simply could not play at full strength, as he received another injury. In the second set, he jerked his hip, but decided not to take a break, which led to an aggravation of the injury in the next draw.
On the face of Nadal at that moment there was both surprise and disappointment, and an absolute understanding that there may not be a continuation of the match. After losing the game on the serve of McDonald (3:5), Rafa called the doctor, but after a medical break he returned to the court and continued the game.
During the draws, he limped noticeably, and his wife Hisha Perella, who gave birth to her first child three months ago, simply sobbed on the podium. Coach Carlos Moya silently looked at one point, and even from the broadcast picture his heavy breathing was heard. Everyone understood everything, but continued to watch how the proud and stubborn champion tortured himself on the court.
Rafa, as a true winner, finished the game, but even taking into account his maximum concentration and an opponent a little taken aback by such a turn of events, he could not pull out the match.
I still can’t figure out what the problem is. I’m still worried about the hip, I still need to analyze what happened. Now it is difficult to say what exactly is the reason. Tired of talking about injuries. I tried to fight to the end … I couldn’t hit from the backhand and move at all, but I wanted to finish the match, ”the 22-time Grand Slam winner said after the game.
So far, the Spaniard is struggling to find words, but he admits that he did not want to end his career as a champion, so he went into the new season. Probably, his return is still possible, but it is still difficult to assess the consequences of such an early departure.
If we look for any pluses in this dramatic result, then we can only be happy for Medvedev: there is one less top tennis player in his part of the grid.
