Following his defeat against Alexander Zverev in the French Open opening round, the Spaniard went back to the conversation and answered the same question.An era came to an end with the German World No. 4 defeat. It was the first clay-court Grand Slam opening-match defeat for Rafael Nadal.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has fought two different hip problems since the beginning of the 2023 season, making it difficult for him to establish himself in the upper echelons of the sport. He has only participated in a small number of tournaments throughout the first half of the current season.
However, Nadal’s statement to reporters following his defeat in Paris—which, incidentally, will take place at Stade Roland Garros—that he plans to decide whether to retire after the Olympics is a more significant decision.
“Give me two months before the Olympics, and after that, we’ll see if I can continue or if I decide that enough is enough, guys. See you later. I mean, now isn’t the time to get all analytical about these kinds of things. It’s time to move forward, accept the situation as it is, and observe what transpires.”
In the same interview, Nadal talked about what motivated him to continue playing for a long time in spite of repeated injury setbacks.
His love of competition was his first priority, and he said that he enjoyed taking his wife and 1-year-old kid to events. The 37-year-old has stated in the past that he wants his little son to have memories of him playing basketball.
In terms of my motivation, or the force that propels me, I mean, like I mentioned, I’m just a regular person. I find fulfillment in my work. As you are aware, I have a strong enthusiasm for sports and competitiveness. I enjoy playing tennis and practicing. I’m also in a different stage of my personal life right now; my wife and son are on the road. These are the moments I’m living and they won’t come again.
