A FATHER’S DREAM
Nadal wants to play long enough for his son to remember him on court
Madrid, Spain - Rafael Nadal said he would love to keep playing long enough for his son to remember him on court, though the 22-time Grand Slam champion concedes time is not on his side.
The 37-year-old Spaniard, who has said he expects to retire after the 2024 season, returned to competition in Brisbane in January after almost a year sidelined with a hip flexor injury.
He was then out for another stretch due to a thigh issue and while he returned in Barcelona last week he says he is far from being in top form and does not know if he will play in next month’s French Open.
Nadal beat wild card Darwin Blanch 6-1 6-0 in the first round of the Madrid Open on Thursday, with his wife and one-yearold son Rafael Jr watching on.
“Well, I would love to play a little bit longer and give him a memory of myself playing tennis,” Nadal said of playing in front of his son.
“That’s what will be the ideal thing for me and for my wife and family.
“Probably I will not be able to make that happen. But at least I’m happy to have a great team and family and friends around me during all my life that helped me in every single way of being happy.”
‘Carlos doesn’t have to ask’ Nadal said it would be exciting to partner fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics this year and the 22-times singles Grand Slam champion hoped they can enter some doubles tournaments in the build-up to the Games.
Singles world number three Alcaraz said previously he would like to play at the Olympics alongside his 37-year-old idol, who expects to bring the curtains down on his glittering but injuryplagued career this year.
At the Madrid Open where the duo are competing this week, the 20-year-old admitted to being somewhat nervous about initiating the discussion but Nadal put him at ease.
“Carlos doesn’t have to ask me anything, all things being well, we’ll play,” Nadal said during the IGUALES podcast. “It’s also hugely exciting for me. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve heard it is for him too.
“So it would be great to play the odd tournament before the Olympics to prepare ourselves and to get some rapport on court.”
While twice Grand Slam champion Alcaraz is set to make his Olympic debut in the July 26Aug. 11 Games, Nadal will be eyeing his third gold medal after triumphing in singles in the 2008 Beijing Games and doubles eight years later in Rio.
But Nadal has had a torrid time with injury in recent years, missing nearly all of 2023 with a hip issue that needed surgery.
He returned to competition in Brisbane in January but was out for another stretch due to a thigh issue, only coming back in Barcelona last week before casting doubts over his French Open participation next month.
The tennis competition at the Paris Games will take place on clay at Roland Garros, where Nadal has won 14 major titles.
“I think if we’re both fit enough, why not? We could have the chance to form a great team and aspire to great things,” Nadal said of the partnership.
“It would be good for both of us. It would also be good for the Spanish team, so we’ll see how things progress.”