Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal is likely to miss the grass-court classic at Wimbledon after his first-round defeat to Alexander Zverev at the French Open. The 22-time Grand Slam winner announced on Monday immediately after his three-set defeat that he did not want to jeopardize his likely final career goal: the Olympic Games in Paris, which will be held on his favorite clay ground at the Stade Roland Garros. .
At the moment it looks “difficult” because of the grass season, the 37-year-old says: “I don’t know if it would be so smart, after everything that has happened to my body, to switch to a completely different life . surface and then return to the clay court.” Nadal has triumphed twice in his career at Wimbledon (2008 and 2010). The third Grand Slam tournament of the season starts on July 1 this year and the Olympic tennis tournament starts on 27 July.
The fourteen-time tournament winner was eliminated in the first round for the first time during his 19th French Open start. With Nadal currently planning to end his glorious career at the end of the season, this will likely be the last appearance at his favorite tournament, which he has shaped like no other for almost two decades.
Nadal against Zverev: ‘I wasn’t that far away’
Nadal, who only made his return to the tour in mid-April and entered the French Open unseeded for the first time due to various injuries, took his first round sportingly. Due to the unfortunate draw, he had to play against “one of the best tennis players in the world” and he came out of the affair very respectful: “I wasn’t that far along, that is my feeling and my truth.”
Zverev, meanwhile, suspects that Nadal’s retirement will be postponed somewhat. “I still believe he will come back next year,” the Olympic champion said on Eurosport: “I believe he is starting to play better and better.”