RN day has arrived. After a long wait, Rafael Nadal sat in one Press conference and explained what his physique is like. The tennis world misses him: he hasn’t been seen on court since losing in the second round of the Australian Open. He suffered physical discomfort near his hip that day and a two-month recovery was expected. He hasn’t returned yet. Nor will it in the short term.
The Spaniard, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, defined his future and replied that he will not play Roland Garros 2023. Since joining for the first time in 2005, he has never missed in his career: his tally is 14 titles, 112 wins and just three losses.
“The injury I got in Australia didn’t go the way we wanted. I won’t be able to be at Roland Garros for many years. You can imagine how difficult it is for me. It’s not my decision, but my body’s. I have no intention of playing for the next few months. These last years have been difficult, it has been difficult for me to have continuity in every way.” started.
And I add: “I have to put an end to my career. I’m not going to set a return date. When I feel ready, I’ll start over. It might be a goal to get to the end of the year and play the Davis Cup. And to face the next year with the assurance that I will be able to do what I sense and I think will be my last year.”
Will he attend the first Roland Garros without him in more than two decades? “I’m not going to watch all the matches, but I will follow Roland Garros. There will definitely be very interesting matches. Tournaments last forever: Roland Garros will always be Roland Garros with Rafael Nadal or without me”, sure.
Sports news He followed minute by minute everything that happened at his Academy in Mallorca.
Rafael Nadal’s press conference, live
4:50 p.m. Rafael Nadal’s press conference at his Academy in Mallorca has ended. The three most important points are that he will not play at Roland Garros, that he will not continue training for now and that he plans to retire by 2024.
4:45 p.m. “I’m not going to watch all the matches, but I will follow Roland Garros. There will definitely be very interesting matches. Tournaments are forever: Roland Garros will always be Roland Garros with or without Rafael Nadal.”
4:40 p.m. “I’m the man who has won the most times at Roland Garros, there have been many years with great results and it makes sense that they always want me to come back. But in this case it’s not like that.”
4:32 p.m. “I think I don’t deserve to end like this. I have made an effort that my end is not here, in a press conference. I will fight so that the end is not like this. I am satisfied that in my life, we did the things we saw conveniently to reach the goals. When the time comes for me not to compete again, let it be with the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve done everything in my power. It’s always worth another shot, and that’s been my philosophy.”
16:27. “I’m going to stop. I’m not going to train. Someone has to put a brake on it. I have to stop because otherwise I don’t think I’ll make it next year. Me and the guys around me need it. A disconnection will do us good. Anyone who sees me I’m suffering, make an effort.”
𝗩𝗔𝗔𝗔, 𝗔𝗫𝗔!
❤️ Your absence at Roland Garros will only be a pause in success. We are all with you!
🫂 We are waiting for you on the slopes, @Rafael Nadal! pic.twitter.com/wn3kQNqYZa
— Spanish Olympic Committee (@COE_es) May 18, 2023
16:18. “I’m looking forward. Every day I have things that allow me to enjoy life. I’m grateful for all the good things that have happened to me. You can’t always demand more and more from the body because at some point it flags and tells you this far If and my head doesn’t want it, my body has told me so far.”
16:08. “I have to put an end to my career. I’m not going to set a return date. When I feel ready, I’ll start again. It might be a goal to get to the end of the year and play Davis Cup and face next year with guarantees that I can do what I feel and I think it will be my last year.”
16:05. “We have called them for various reasons. The injury I suffered in Australia did not turn out as we would have liked. I will not be able to be at Roland Garros after many years. You can imagine how difficult it is for me. It is not a decision for me to make , but my body. I have no intention of playing in the next few months. These last few years have been difficult, it has been difficult for me to have continuity in every way.” Raphael began.
4:00 pm Rafael Nadal’s announcement begins. And although the Spaniard is not at Roland Garros, he will be there: from 2021 there is a statue of him representing his greatness.
Raph,
We can’t imagine how difficult this decision was. We will certainly miss you at this year’s Roland Garros. Take care of yourself to come back stronger on the courts.
I hope to see you next year in Paris 🧡 pic.twitter.com/lTN3GExBFo
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 18, 2023
3:50 p.m. Rafael Nadal’s numbers in Paris are amazing: 14 titles, 112 wins and three losses. Novak Djokovic had the pleasure of beating him twice. Robin Soderling, the rest. No one else could.
3:35 p.m. The last Roland Garros without Rafael Nadal was in 2004: that year, Argentina’s Gaston Gaudio won the final against compatriot Guillermo Coria 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 and 8-6.
15:20. If he does not participate in Roland Garros 2023, Rafael Nadal will lose 2,000 points and be left with a total of only 455. This ranking will leave him out of 100: he would fall close to 135th place. All the details about this situation, in the link.
15:00. An hour to go until Rafael Nadal’s press conference starts and the tension is in the air. For the first time in his career since making his Roland Garros debut in 2005 with a title, the Spaniard may not be present at the second Grand Slam of the season. In this link you can see how many Majors he was absent from.
*The time is that of Spain
What time was Rafael Nadal’s press conference today?
The date started at 4:00 PM in Spain, 11:00 AM in Argentina, 10:00 AM in the eastern United States, and 8:00 AM in Mexico.
