Nadal might never play again; he also might surprise and win

By HOWARD FENDRICH Whenever it comes to a close, and even if it already has, Rafael Nadal’s superlative tennis career will be admired for achievements such as 22 Grand Slam titles, currently tied for the most by a man, and a record 14 French Open championships.

Nadal’s playing days will be remembered for more than numbers. That bullwhip forehand. Rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Dominance at Roland Garros, where a statue of him stands. Unfailing humility. Those muscle-bearing shirts and calf-covering capri pants. The penchant for placing courtside bottles just so.

Any complete conversation about Nadal also must include a reference to the body-bruising style and endless effort, in matches and practice sessions, that fueled more than 1,000 wins and surely contributed to all of the many injuries. He announced

Thursday that he has not healed enough to enter the field in Paris, where play begins May 28. He can’t be sure when he might be able to return to the tour after being sidelined since January by a left hip flexor problem.

Looking at the bigger picture, as aware as everyone else that the pertinent questions now revolve around his future in the sport, Nadal turned a tad philosophical.

“Everything has its beginning and above all, everything has its end.”

So is this the end of the road with a racket in hand for Nadal? It very well could be. Nadal, who turns 37 June 3, can’t be sure. Neither, of course, can we. Still, it would be foolhardy to rule anything out when it comes to someone as skilled, determined and indefatigable as he always has been.

“Am I going to be able to fight for a Grand Slam?” he asked during the news conference at his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain. “I don’t know.”

He is putting a stop to things for the moment. No matches, no practices, so his hip can recuperate. The break could last months. Or more.

“The world of tennis and the Roland Garros tournament will be affected by his absence because of his history in that tournament and what he has achieved in his career and the impact he has made on the sport,” said Djokovic, whose own pursuit of a recordbreaking 23rd Grand Slam title and chance to stand alone atop the Big Three in that category just got a tad easier.

“Of course, him missing any tournament, but particularly the big ones, has an impact on the tennis world and the tennis fans.”

And Nadal himself. He spoke about the physical and mental toll exacted recently. About the pain. About the frustration.

He hopes to play again this season, possibly in the Davis Cup. He wants to play some of his favorite events in 2024 before calling it quits, including the French Open, which he entered 18 consecutive times, going 112-3, an event and athlete intertwined like no others.

That might conjure images of a carefully curated list of preferred events, where pre- and post-match speeches and ceremonies would include fond memories and well-meaning jokes and “Whoa, you’re old and ready to rest!” gifts such as rocking chairs or a robe and slippers.

But no one should expect Nadal to be interested in the hagiography of it all. Indeed, no one should be surprised if he goes out there and manages to win another tournament, let alone somehow summons the skill and stamina to navigate the grind of seven best-of-five-set matches at a major.

He’s never allowed his health to hold him back for too long. He’s never allowed doubts, his own or those of others, stand in the way of greatness.*