Rafael Nadal makes retirement confession ahead of Carlos Alcaraz Netflix Slam showdown
Rafael Nadal has revealed he has not made a final decision on when he will retire from the sport ahead of his return to the court against Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas.
The 22-time major champion admitted “things are going that way” when addressing whether this year’s clay-court season could be his last, but stressed he does not want to say goodbye yet.
Nadal will take on world No 2 Alcaraz in the ‘Netflix Slam’ exhibition match on Sunday in his return to action following an injury setback he sustained in his comeback tournament in January.
The 37-year-old played his first tournament in almost a year at the Brisbane International in January, where he reached the quarter-finals. The Mallorcan withdrew from the 2024 Australian Open due to a hip muscle issue that emerged during his loss to Jordan Thompson in Brisbane.
Before Brisbane, Nadal had not played a match since his defeat to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open, where he suffered a more severe hip injury. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to treat the psoas muscle in his hip in June 2023.
The former world No 1 entered the ATP 250 tournament in Doha last month, but he was forced to pull out. Following the Netflix Slam, Nadal plans to play the Indian Wells Masters, which will take place from March 6-17.
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Speaking at a press conference in Las Vegas before his meeting with Alcaraz, Nadal outlined his intention to give everything he has left during the European clay-court season.
“Whatever has to be left, leave it in the season of clay, which may or may not be the last, I have not decided 100 per cent. At the moment, things are going that way,” the Spaniard said.
“At the moment, I am considering playing in Indian Wells. I would love to play in Monte Carlo. And then, at this point in my career, I have to analyse how I am at every moment, the feelings I have and where I most want to play.
“I will try to do which is better to reach my goals with some chance. I want to do the things that I really want to be happy.”
The tennis legend also spoke about the prospect of saying farewell to the sport this year as he explained he has not imagined what the end of his career will look like.
“I’m not saying goodbye because then I’d say I’m not playing anymore. This is an important point and I don’t want to say it because I’m not 100% clear about it. In the last two years I haven’t been able to play,” Nadal continued.
“Life is showing you the path. How did I imagine my farewell? At first, I didn’t imagine it because you start to imagine something, which means that the closer you are to it. It wasn’t something I had in mind. I would like to say goodbye well, being competitive and enjoying myself on the court.
“Whether that can be or not, time will tell. It is evident that the months and weeks show me a path that is being complicated. There are moments that are difficult to manage.
“Two weeks ago, when I could not go to Doha, well it is another blow, but here we are. I’m going to give myself the opportunity to enjoy it a little more.”
READ MORE: ‘Rafael Nadal will without a doubt play next season if he avoids injuries’ – former world No 3
