'Never Rule Nadal Out' Warns Former Wimbledon Champion Martinez

| by Evita Mueller

Rafael Nadal is set to make a comeback next year, and his compatriot and former player Conchita Martinez spoke about it.

The former Spanish player didn't do some of the things Nadal did in the sport, but she certainly left a visible mark in tennis, so she's certainly competent enough to comment on both tennis and Nadal. When it comes to the 22-time Grand Slam champion, we've only seen a few matches from Nadal this year because his season was cut short early in Australia.

There was hope that he'd return this year, but ultimately, he opted for surgery to fix the hip issue, and his return was pushed back to 2024. There is a lot of unknown about his return, but Conchita Martinez spoke to Clay, sharing her point of view.

Well, he said it was going to be a farewell year in the tournaments he wants, and that’s the way it has to be. Whenever Rafa has had injuries he has always got up and come back stronger, he has won important tournaments. I think that’s going to be his goal. But with injuries we can’t fight, I hope he recovers.

Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Coco Gauff: 2023 China Open Beijing - Preview & Prediction
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Coco Gauff: 2023 China Open Beijing - Preview & Prediction

He is in the best hands, especially with Doctor (Angel Ruiz) Cotrorro. I have no doubt that he is doing the right things, they are not going to take any risks. If he is fit, he will have a very competitive year. If he doesn’t feel that way, we’ll see, then he will focus on the tournaments that really matter to him, which will be Roland Garros and some previous ones. Hopefully he will come back stronger. We should never rule him out, he always surprises us.

There is not much to be added here, as she said it perfectly. It will come down to whether he's fit or not. If he is, he'll be a dangerous player, but if he's not, then it's likely going to be a bittersweet farewell Tour. He himself is unsure how it will go per his most recent interview, so time will tell.

Alcaraz Reportedly Set To Miss Australian Open Warm-Up Tournaments In 2024
Alcaraz Reportedly Set To Miss Australian Open Warm-Up Tournaments In 2024

Read the full article

Just in

Look at more articles