Is retirement approaching?

Nadal: "I don't know when I'll be back, there are more important things than tennis"

After the surprising elimination, Nadal intends to make time for his family and his pregnant wife amid the rumors about her condition.

World tennis is preparing for a rare decision in the USA without the giants of the industry and a new No. 1: "The years go by, the world moves"

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sport

06/09/2022

Tuesday, 06 September 2022, 08:45

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Tikteknu: today's summary clip, 6.9 (Sport1)

After 22 consecutive victories in major tournaments, after a tremendous comeback year, the question marks about the continuation of his career again surround Rafael Nadal.

The 6:4, 4:6, 6:4, 6:3 loss to Francis Tiefou and the surprising elimination tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) in the round of 16 at the United States Championship, may indicate some fatigue and exhaustion - and not only on a physical level.

Nadal is in the midst of a turbulent and difficult personal period.

Nadal's wife of the last 17 years, Maria Francisca Perio, is pregnant with her first child, who will make the Spanish bull a father.

The pregnancy did not go smoothly in the meantime, and a few weeks ago Prio had to undergo surgery.

Rumors regarding the condition of his fetus and the condition of the fetus increased, although Nadal made it clear that neither was in real danger.

After tonight's elimination, Nadal admitted that his head is not in tennis at the moment.

"I have to go home. I have things to sort out there, in his personal life, so I don't know when I'll be back," he said.

"I'll try to come back only when I feel I'm ready for it mentally. When I feel ready to compete again, I'll be on the field," he said.

Takes an indefinite break.

Nadal (Photo: Reuters)

Nadal made it clear in previous interviews that when he becomes a father, he may abandon tennis and change his priorities.

Now he faces mental and professional challenges, and it seems that his future is once again uncertain.

"I just got kicked out of the US Championship, and as you can imagine, it's hard for me to say clearly what my future is going to look like," he said.

"In any case, I have to go home now and take care of more important things than tennis. For me, personal life always comes before professional life. Now I have to reboot."

Nadal was limping throughout most of the tournament, and had trouble recapturing the ability he displayed the rest of the year.

He admits it's mostly a mental thing.

"The last few months have been difficult for me in every possible way. This is the reality. I hope that soon I will become a happy father, and maybe then things will work out better for me."

The elimination of No. 2 Nadal in the tournament, which came a day after the loss of No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, makes the deciding stages in the United States almost historic.

The only Grand Slam winner who is still participating in the championship is Marin Cilic, and in general the absence of the giants of the industry will be most noticeable.

In fact, the last time Nadal, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer were absent together from the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament was at the United States Championship sometime in 2003.

Nadal's loss also brings closer the possibility of a new world number one.

Nadal could have got there if he had qualified for the final, but now Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Rudd are in a great starting position to conquer the top.

Alcarez, Nadal's countryman, will climb to the top spot if he wins the championship or loses in the final to a player other than Casper Rod;

Pink will climb to the top in similar scenarios.

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Olam as usual - even after years.

Nadal (Photo: Reuters)

"It's the way of the world. Times change, the industry changes," said Nadal, saying that "I haven't watched Alcarez play in this tournament yet, but he seems to be in very good shape. As a Spaniard, I can wish him to reach first place. I'll keep my fingers crossed for him."

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