Casper Ruud regards Rafael Nadal as his inspiration and a man he has always tried to mimic on the tennis court.
Nadal is a 22-time Grand Slam champion and is widely considered a tennis legend with a long list of accomplishments on his resume. His 14 titles at Roland Garros are the most that a player has won in a single tournament.
But as he approaches 38, Nadal is nearing the end of his tennis career. Not even the greatest sportspeople can beat biology, a factual claim that WTA player Andrea Petkovic recently shared in reference to Andy Murray's impending retirement in the coming months.
The Spaniard also intends to hang up his racket for good after major struggles with injuries in the past 12 months. Last year, while he was about to undergo surgery on a hip injury, Nadal mentioned that 2024 would probably be the last year of his professional career.
After Nadal's successful recovery and return to action in Brisbane in January, disaster struck a second time as he injured another hip muscle, sending him to the treatment table for another couple of months.
Although he has asserted that he is giving himself every possible chance to prolong his career, he is uncertain what the future holds. Nadal's good friend Casper Ruud recently told La Octava Sports that the 37-year-old's legacy as a sporting icon is secured even if he takes the plunge to retire.
"It’s tough to describe. His legacy will live forever, no matter if he retires in 2024 or not, as one of the greatest athletes in history. He’s just an incredible sportsman, a fighter, always staying humble, trying to improve even though he’s achieved so much. He deserves all the success that he has ever had."
Ruud concluded his Mexican swing by losing a second final in as many weeks in Acapulco to defending champion Alex de Minaur. However, he has secured his return to the Top 10, which is a consolation prize.