The tennis player does not know when he will be able to return but he claims to be “happy” and satisfied with his evolution.
The Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal has assured that at this point in his recovery he can think about playing again and being on the tennis courts and, despite not knowing exactly when this return may take place, he thinks that he will do so if he is sufficiently competitive enough to, at least, have enthusiasm and make the effort made since he had to take a break worthwhile.
“If you want something new that I hadn’t told you until now, well, I didn’t know if I would play tennis again one day and now I sincerely believe that I will play again. If it will be in one place or another, I’m not yet ready to answer it, but I am happy with how things are evolving,” he revealed to the media after visiting the new Teknon Tennis Clinic of Dr. Ángel Ruiz Cotorro.
“Trying to play again is what we have been trying to do for several months. And I say today, something that a few weeks ago I was not in a position to say, that I think the steps forward have been great and positive and well, I I trust that in the following weeks and dates, you will be able to say something more specific, because as of today I am not in condition,” he added.
In this sense, he argued that he has “always” maintained the “illusion of returning.” “Knowing what level I will be able to return to is another thing that is very difficult to answer. I have never lost the hope of playing again. I am at that moment when things seem to be going in the right direction and I foresee and trust that things will happen.” things continue on the same path given what I have seen in recent weeks,” he added.
Of course, he was firm in denying that he will return in January. “There is nothing to all this. I understand the interest of the news but in the end when this happens, or when I know I’m coming back, I will say it. When I know what I will do, I will be the first to tell you whatever,” he assured the media.
“When I know things exactly, I have no problem saying it and even less so at this point. I’m fine, I’m training and I’m happy, in the end I’m in a good time in my life,” the Manacorí was sincere.
He was clear when it came to cutting bets on his return to the slopes. “If I tell you that it seems like I’m going to play again, from the last time I was among the media, well, I’m sure it’s closer, because if not, we’re in a bad way, right? Now as far as it’s close, well, as you I’ve said before, if you want me to tell you when I’m going to come back, I’m not going to tell you,” he reiterated.
Nadal is happy to be able to raise the level of training. “I think the evolution seems to be good,” said Nadal, who does not set any specific objective for his return but who acknowledged that he would like to be at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “There are many months left, we’ll see,” he said.
The bad thing is that, without being anything new, the manacorí knows that the pain is not going to disappear. “The pain is not going to disappear, I think it will never. But well, in the end, from how things were going a few months ago to how they are now, I think it has been a step forward without a doubt and it is already a lot,” he added.
Hence he is clear about one thing; When he returns, he won’t be able to catch up to Serbian Novak Djokovic in ‘Grand Slam’ wins. “We are not in that situation. I think I live in a very different reality today. I haven’t played for a year and, for me, personal success, which in the end is usually more powerful than general success, is maintaining the illusion to play again,” he said.
“Afterwards, things are never known. I sense that it will be very difficult to recover a very high level of tennis. But hey, if I didn’t have the illusion of trying to be competitive, well, I probably wouldn’t be doing everything I’ve done in recent years. months, all the effort that it entails at the age I am, and after having a very long career, the years weigh heavily”, the former world number 1, 37 years old, was sincere.
“I have the hope of playing again and that for me is already a great personal satisfaction. I am not going to win more ‘Grand Slam’ than Novak Djokovic; that is not going to be the case. But I am going to give myself the opportunity to try to enjoy it again,” concluded the now number 664 in the ATP ranking.
