by Rafael Nadal has strongly hinted that he may not be ready to play in next month’s Davis Cup final in Malaga.
Nadal, who won 22 Grand Slam titles in his distinguished career, announced in an emotional video message on X that he will retire next month.
The Spaniard had already confirmed that he expected 2024 to be his final season, and as the summer progressed it became increasingly clear that the end was near.
He then confirmed he would retire after playing for Spain at the Davis Cup final in Malaga next month.
“I am here to inform you that I am retiring from professional tennis,” Nadal said in his statement earlier this month.
“The reality is that it has been a difficult few years, particularly the last two. I don’t think I could play without restrictions.
“It’s obviously a difficult decision that took me some time. But in this life everything has a beginning and an end.”
The tickets for Nadal’s farewell to his Spanish fans were sold out in no time and they were changing hands on ticket exchanges for thousands of euros.
Still, Nadal has admitted he will not commit to playing for Spain, likely in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, unless he feels physically ready to contribute to the team.
Nadal lost to Alcaraz at the Six Kings Slam tournament in Saudi Arabia on Thursday and although he showed flashes, he was clearly hampered on his serve and was no match for his young compatriot.
Now he has confirmed that he will inform Spain’s Davis Cup captain David Ferrer that he will withdraw from taking part in a competitive doubles match if he feels other members of the team are more likely to ensure victory become.
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“Will I be ready for the Davis Cup? Emotionally, yes, that’s for sure; Physically and in tennis, I still have a month ahead of me,” he said at a media conference in Saudi Arabia.
“I will prepare, I will try to be in shape to help the team win. If I feel ready and the captain feels the same way, it will be his decision. If I don’t feel ready, I’ll be the first to step back and see how I can help.
“First I have to be the one who feels competitive to get into the game, then you can win or lose, that’s part of the sport.” If I’m not at 100% or I’m far from winning my game, I won’t go on the pitch.”
Nadal also gave more details about his retirement announcement, adding: “I made my decision a few weeks ago, the truth is that it took a while, but after the Olympics I had a few weeks to think about it “To realize some things and answer some questions that helped me realize it was the right decision.”
Davis Cup final organizers have plans for a farewell to Nadal regardless of whether he plays in Malaga next month or not. Novak Djokovic confirmed that he will travel to Spain to take part in the event.
Roger Federer is also certain to be invited and will almost certainly be in Malaga after Nadal made huge sacrifices to take part in his farewell match at the 2022 Laver Cup, even though his girlfriend was just days away from giving birth to their son.
Read more: Rafael Nadal finds a fitting word to describe Carlos Alcaraz in a charming joint interview
