Rafael Nadal has hinted that 2024 might be his last year as a pro, but he hasn’t decided where he’ll retire yet.
His latest match was at the Olympics, held at Roland-Garros, where he’s won 14 French Open titles. Fans hoped he’d win a medal there.
But things didn’t go well; he faced Novak Djokovic in the second round and lost easily due to his recent injuries.
Nadal also played doubles with Alcaraz, reaching the quarterfinals before losing to Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek. Despite the loss, Alcaraz learned a lot from playing with him.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Rafael Nadal | 38 | 215 | 7 - 5 |
Speculations About Retirement:
Since then, many have wondered about Nadal’s future. He announced he won’t play at the US Open and will next appear at the Laver Cup. Some think this could be his farewell event. Andy Roddick feels it might celebrate Nadal’s career just like it did for Federer.
Journalist Benoit Maylin strongly believes Nadal shouldn’t retire in Saudi Arabia due to its human rights issues. He thinks a farewell at either the French Open or Olympics would have been more fitting.
“Who’s going to be able to afford Nadal’s farewell? It should have been at Roland Garros this year or at the Olympics,” Maylin said. “In Saudi Arabia… it would tarnish the image of a champion renowned for his ethics.”
Maylin suggests another idea: retiring at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain, which he thinks would be a beautiful end for Nadal.
“So if he has to stop this year, let him do it in Spain,” Maylin added. “That would be beautiful.”
Fans might think it’s strange if Nadal ends his career in Saudi Arabia since he’s never hinted at doing so before.
In any case, we hope Nadal gets the perfect ending after all he’s done for tennis over the years.
What do you think? Should Nadal retire in Spain or somewhere else?