New Delhi, April 7 -- This has to be one of the saddest stories in sports, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, Rafael Nadal, being unable to plan his return to the tennis courts. Since the time the 14-time
French Open champion pulled out from the Australian Open in January, plagued by injuries, Nadal has remained in the news.
After a one-year break, the left-handed champion was hoping 2024 would be kind to him. He had put in hard hours in training, but, somehow, he has not been able to find his mojo.
Nadal had flown to the United States of America for the outdoor season on hard courts in March. Upon landing there, he decided his body was not cooperating and he flew back to Europe.
In a latest interview, Nadal has come across as an athlete in deep turmoil. His heart longs to play at the French Open, a Grand Slam he ruled. However, Nadal has not been able to prepare.
"My body won't let me (compete). It's getting difficult for me. It's been a difficult year and a half, I'm trying every day. I have things to solve, and the reality is that at the moment I'm not being able to put myself in a position to compete. It's hard," said Nadal.
Last year, in May, Nadal had decided to call off his entire tennis programme in 2023 before the French Open as he wanted to focus on fitness and be in the best shape for the Paris Olympics. His comeback was in right earnest, but, again, he had fitness problems in January 2024.
From January to April, Nadal has been away from tournaments.
He does post photos and videos on social media but there is no sign of him returning to play matches.
"On a personal level everything is good; on a professional level, it is difficult, and you also have to weigh the bad moments and those that you would never have imagined experiencing," said Nadal, his message conveying pain and intense disappointment.
"I don't rule out anything, not even being in Barcelona or Madrid, but at the moment, I am not being able to get there due to physical problems," explained Rafael Nadal.
Sunday being World Health Day, Nadal's words resonate. "Many people have mental problems, and I also have them when in my work I can't manage to fight
for my goals, but, no, it's physical, I have abdominal problems since I returned from Australia.
We are trying things. We are going day by day," he said.
This is, perhaps, the first time Nadal has spoken of his mental state as well, how agonising it is to be fighting to stay fit.
The Paris Olympics are from July 26 and Nadal was hoping he could compete in it, in singles as well as doubles. His partnership at the Olympics is supposed to be with Carlos Alcaraz, but the way things are going, every day seems more intriguing for the master on clay.
Nadal does have plenty of supporters and sympathy but what he needs is good health and the energy to compete without the fear of injury. From the Fab 4, two are almost done with.
Roger Federer retired in 2022 and Andy Murray is out on an extended injury break. Nadal is struggling while Novak Djokovic will hope the 2024 season will be kind to him.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.