Rafael Nadal, has expressed his desire to be back in the court by 2024, as he eyes competing in the the French Open and Paris Olympics, after being sidelined for months due to psaos injury.
The Former No. 1 has fallen out of the world’s top 100 for the first time in 20 years due to months of injury crisis sustained at the Australian Open in January. He is currently ranked world No. 237. The twenty-two time major title winner has also missed four and half years of Grand Slam tournaments, more than any tennis player who has won the Grand Slam more than twenty times.
Rafael Nadal not banking on grand slam win in comeback
Rafael Nadal, 37, told Moviestar Plus+ that while he hopes to return to the court in the Rolland Garros and Australian Open next year, he is far from winning the titles.
“I wanna be back in the court and compete but I’m not expecting or hoping to comeback and win the Roland Garros and Australian Open. That is looks like very far away, even if not impossible,” Rafael Nadal said.
“I am aware that at the time I am in my life, all that is very far away, right? And I don’t say it’s impossible because in the end I say things, I have said it a thousand, all things in sport, they change very quickly,” he added.
The tennis star hopes of performing in Roland Garros is the fact that he has won the title fourteen times which is a record for any player. In preparation for his comeback, Rafael Nadal is putting in his best effort, which includes engaging in swimming training and even taking up golfing.
Rafael Nadal has also envisioned ending his career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, “The 2024 Olympics in Paris would be a nice end of my career if i feel good my schedule can change if I feel I can have a chance to win at Roland Garros,” he said.
Rafael Nadal opts for surgery in Psaos Injury
Rafael Nadal, after crashing out of the Australian Open, underwent an arthroscopic hip surgery in June to address the psoas, or hip flexor, as well as the hip labrum, which is the thick ring of cartilage between the ball and the socket of the hip joint. The surgery was performed in Barcelona, Spain, by Marc Phillippon of Steadman Clinic, who is based out of Barcelona in Colorado and works on a lot of athletes.
Nadal was expected to to return to playing tennis after a 5-month rehabilitation period. Given the superb outcomes of the tennis star returning to sports after the surgery but that don’t seem to be so as he is likely to return after six to seven months.
