Rafael Nadal brushes aside retirement talk, saying ‘I’m going to keep fighting to try to keep going’

French Open
Delight for Rafael Nadal

There have been murmurs in recent weeks that Rafael Nadal is set to walk away from tennis after the French Open, but the Spaniard made it clear after winning a 22nd Grand Slam title that he is determined to continue his career.

Nadal has struggled with a chronic foot problem for several years and after being struck down by the injury at the Italian Open in May, there were suggestions that he could call it a day at any point.

And those rumours went up the notch when the world No 1 admitted during the French Open that he is playing every match as it could be his last in tennis.

Some reports even suggested that Nadal had asked Roland Garros organisers to hold a second press conference either on Sunday or Monday to make an “important announcement”, but that was shot down by his team.

And after he dispatches Casper Ruud in Sunday’s final, winning 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 to secure a record-extending 14th title in Paris, he vowed to continue playing.

“It’s something that I for sure ever believed, to be here at 36, being competitive again, playing in the most important court of my career,” he said.

The tennis icon added: “I don’t know what can happen in the future, but I’m going to keep fighting to try to keep going.”

The 22-time Grand Slam winner will rise to No 3 in the ATP Rankings on the back of his victory, but he is yet to confirm if he will compete at the third major of the year, Wimbledon.

Rafael Nadal

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