Rafael Nadal appeared in his first detailed interview since taking a break from tennis earlier this year and has admitted he is still a long way from making a return to the tour.
Nadal had not choice to undergo a surgical procedure which in turn forced him to withdraw from his beloved French major and he held a press conference in May where he revealed his comeback plan for one final season in 2024. The slow recovery process of his hip problem has prompted many to imply that the 22-time Slam champion may never return to the action. However, in a comprehensive sit-down interview conducted by Movistar+, Nadal gave answers to a number of questions arising in the mind of his loyal fan base and critics with the Spaniard still trusting himself to return to ATP circuit once again.
Nadal confirmed that his is only training under hour (40min max) a day on the court and golf is only competitive sport he can take part in right now. The 37-year-old admitted that he doesn’t have much expectations on his return to the Melbourne Park or Roland Garros next year.
“My dream is to play again, to be competitive again, not to win at Roland-Garros or in Australia,” said Nadal.
“At this time in my life, I am very far away (from challenging for major titles). I am not saying it is impossible because things in sport change very quickly.
“But since Indian Wells last year, it has been a hard year and a half, with no peace of mind at all. The results mask the reality of day-to-day life.
“Without surgery, I was not going to recover by stopping for a long time. I made the decision and apparently, it turned out well.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do in 2024, because because of the way I am, I can’t be clear.
“My way of facing the year changes depending on the objectives. I don’t even have the need to respond to myself. My hope is in two months to know how and where I am,
“Yes, I can play but I am not in a position to win at Roland-Garros because maybe I would like a farewell tour. These are answers that I cannot give now.”
The Mallorcan phenomenon dropped a hint on closing his illustrious career on Parisian clay in 2024 Summer Olympic Games but insisted that for now all he do is to put himself on the difficult recovery path and train with limited intensity at his Academy.
“I can only hit with maximum caution, without moving, without the intensity to which I am accustomed,” he added.
“I have to contain myself all the time. I know I have to be careful. I have experienced many times of recovery and It’s always boring, but it hasn’t taken away my focus and attention from doing it day by day.
“Luckily, I’ve been able to play golf for weeks now. It’s the only thing I can compete in today. It distracts me and for me, it’s necessary to compete.”
It was a truly fascinating interview with one of the GOATs of the game and it can be concluded that Nadal is still not conclusive about his successful return to the sport.
His army of fans around the world keep their fingers crossed that the 37-year-old still has preserved some old mojo to add a finishing florist to his glorious career.