According to former ATP player Ivan Ljubicic, Rafael Nadal might retire at the Laver Cup, but it's still something not likely.
There is a difference between probable and possible, with Roger Federer's former coach, Ivan Ljubicic, demonstrating just that in a recent interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa.
As the former world number three put it, there is a minor chance that Nadal could retire at the Laver Cup, mirroring what his long-time rival Roger Federer did a couple years ago.
Still, while the scenario is possible, it's not probable, according to the Croatian. Nadal probably doesn't even know when he'll retire because everything is so fluid right now. It could happen tomorrow or in a year because it mostly comes down to how he really feels at that moment.
"It is possible, but it is not probable. That he has committed to playing for Laver is positive, it means that he is looking ahead, but we know that he is not going to play ten more years."
What we do know right now is that the Spaniard doesn't plan to stop until he feels like he can be competitive. His retirement won't happen at Roland Garros as he plans to play after that.
He wants to play at the Olympics, for example, though we don't really know about his plans beyond that. He never mentioned Wimbledon and likely will want to preserve his body for the Olympics, which are played at the Roland Garros.
The US Open also seems very far away, but it's not impossible that he's planning to play that as well. He already signed up for the Laver Cup and an exhibition in Saudi Arabia later this year, so he clearly intends to play past the summer if his body permits. As with anything about Nadal right now, time will tell.
0 Comments