“We had prepared a farewell ceremony. He himself had given us the OK for this tribute, but then everything soon changed. Rafa trained in the days before the challenge with Sascha and realized that the training was going surprisingly Well.”
The Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo shared a sensational update involving Rafael Nadal’s future, in an interview with Amazon Prime. Mauresmo revealed how the tournament board had prepared a special farewell ceremony on the Philippe-Chatrier, at the end of the match between Nadal and Alexander Zverev, challenge won by the German tennis player in straight sets. But things went differently, in a similar way to how they went at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. There was a brief chat between the Spanish champion and Mauresmo herself, with the Frenchwoman who wanted to understand the intentions of the 14-time Parisian Slam winner.
Rafael Nadal © Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
At that point Nadal would have decided not to hold any type of ceremony, probably because the Spaniard felt big improvements in his body and in his tennis, compared to Barcelona, Madrid and Rome. Nadal would have communicated to the organizers to stop any tribute: even in the press conference Rafa confirmed that he was not sure if he had played on Philippe-Chatrier for the last time.
Rafael Nadal © Getty Images Sport – Clive Mason
In the coming weeks we will find out how the 37-year-old wants to continue his career; first of all by putting an Olympic Games medal in his sights which will be played in Paris. In short, a farewell that is anything but certain. The chances that Nadal will continue to play in 2025 are less remote than one might think.
Nadal, at the press conference after the match lost against Zverev explained:
“I’m a normal guy who likes to do what he does. I like sports, competition, training and matches. I enjoy traveling with my wife and son. As long as I feel competitive, I will continue to play. I have to see if my level will rise. 2025? If I continue to be happy day after day and my body responds well, I won’t close any doors. Logic tells me it’s very difficult, but time will provide me with the answers. When I have a decision, I will communicate it definitively. I’ve been through some really bad times, my body has been a jungle the last few months where I couldn’t see the light. I maintained the discipline to give myself the opportunity to be here. I struggled tremendously with my problems. This was the first week I felt my body was ready to move without limitations, the first tournament I thought I had any chance of winning.
I’m very proud of what I’ve done and I don’t think I’ve gotten far from giving myself real options to do something important. My match was positive, analyzing things in perspective. I made some mistakes, but you can’t build a house in two days. I didn’t take advantage of some opportunities that could have changed the game due to the lack of confidence that could show you the way at all times. I hope to arrive at the Olympics in good shape, but I will have the same problem: I will not be seeded and I will arrive without the match pace. If I can arrive in better physical condition with an extra month of training under my belt, I will participate with the hope of having fun and having some opportunities. After that appointment, I will evaluate how I am doing and make decisions about the future.”
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