Rafael Nadal is keeping the door open for another Australian summer of tennis, indicating that he is not ready to declare it as his farewell tour. Despite a nearly year-long hiatus due to a hip injury, the 37-year-old is making his return at the Brisbane International. While acknowledging that there is “a high percentage” chance that this might be his last trip as a player to Australia, Nadal, speaking ahead of his comeback, expressed uncertainty about his future.
“The problem about saying that’s going to be my last season is I can’t predict what’s going on 100 per cent in the future,” said Rafael Nadal.
“That’s why I say ‘probably’. It’s obvious it’s a high percentage that it’s going to be my last time playing here in Australia. But if I am here next year, don’t tell me, ‘You said it was going to be your last season’, because I didn’t say it. “ he added.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion reflected on the challenges of the past year, including surgery for a hip injury, and admitted that there was a moment during his recovery when he contemplated quitting. However, he emphasized that his enduring love for the sport served as the driving force that kept him motivated to continue.
“You never know what’s going on, you know? I can’t predict how I’m going to be in the next six months. I can’t predict if my body will allow me to enjoy tennis as much as I enjoyed the past 20 years. It’s not an easy decision, but I know inside myself that it is a high percentage that it’s going to be my last one.”
“Of course I was asking myself that (about retirement), but at some point I decided to keep going. I had the determination to keep going.” he concluded.
Nadal, who has been sidelined since sustaining a hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open, is set to begin his singles comeback against a qualifier in the first round in Brisbane. His potential Tuesday night match against former US Open champion Dominic Thiem awaits, as Thiem navigated through qualifying to reach the main draw.
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