Nadal follows the prophecy of those who know him best and does not want to leave the tennis boat | Relief

“Rafa! What is your plan for the boat this summer, where do you plan to sail?”

Rafael Nadal looked at his interlocutor and with some anger, somewhat offended, replied: “But what are you telling me? I’m a professional tennis player, I don’t have time to travel.“.

The dialogue took place in weeks when uncertainty was already firmly established and the prevailing idea was that Nadal was saying goodbye to tennis irrevocably. This is also something that a large part of his circle has forced him to take a hard look at: Isn’t that enough, Rafa?

And it’s absolutely true that Nadal himself spoke about retiring in 2024 in 2023.but statements in Spanish always need to be re-read and, above all, not to lose sight of the slogans, the phrases that he adds when he thinks he has already said everything.

Moreover: Nadal was very clear on May 18, 2023. when he announced that he would no longer play for the rest of the year to prepare for a full bye in 2024. Because having said that, he added: “You never know what can happen, I can’t predict the future, who knows what I will do if I recover physically and feel better.” Or, as he said that day: “I want to finish the way I want. I don’t want to quit early, it’s always worth putting in the extra effort, that’s always been my philosophy.“.

That is why on April 15, 2024, we published in CLAY and Relevo that Nadal dreamed of much more than his last Roland Garros: “Surprise, yes. You shouldn’t, though, because Nadal has become more Nadal than ever. Enjoy what you have.” seems impossible because he feels he can change the course of things and make it possible.

And that’s why on May 12 we published in CLAY and Relevo that Nadal was closer to continuing to play in 2025 than to retiring in 2024: “If you sharpen your vision a little and analyze what has happened in the last twelve months, everything It will be different.” Much simpler: Nadal is closer to deciding to continue playing in 2025 than to saying goodbye in 2024.”

The one that could be seen this Saturday in the Roland Garros press room, the real Nadalthis ultra-competitive Nadal with eternal ambition, who is known very well by people like his uncle Toni and his friend Juan Monaco.

“He’s going to set the limit. I know him well and I think that if he is preparing to come back, he is preparing for victory, not for reaching the quarterfinals. If he comes back and wins, he won’t say goodbye tennis,” Monaco said in an interview published by CLAY y Relevo on June 28, 2023. “I think it’s a little bit like that. Yes,” Toni Nadal confirmed in an interview with CLAY and Relevo published on July 10, 2023. This Saturday, May 25, 2024, Nadal agreed with everyone.