Former World No. 2 Alex Corretja recently evaluated Rafael Nadal’s chances of playing at the 2024 US Open and the uncertainty surrounding his future in tennis. The last major tournament of the year will be held at Flushing Meadows in New York City. The list of participants for this year’s edition has been announced and there is a possibility that Nadal will make his return to the US Open after a two-year absence. He is included among the 128 men in the competition.
However, there are doubts about whether he will actually compete in the US Open due to his struggles on the surface. Nadal has been plagued by two hip injuries since the beginning of 2023, which led to him missing the entire previous season after the Australian Open. This year, he has only played a few tournaments due to health concerns. Nadal has been cautious about choosing the tournaments that best suit him and align with his career objectives.
Although early indications suggest that he is unlikely to continue playing beyond 2024, he has refrained from making a definitive statement on this matter in recent months. Nadal has also expressed frustration with the persistent questions about his retirement. Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 38-year-old stated that he needs time to make a decision about his future in tennis as speculation continues to grow.
According to Corretja, who spoke to El Larguero, he empathizes with his fellow countryman’s current situation and is considering both sides of the argument regarding his playing career. “I understand all the positions. But at the same time, he also asked what would change if Rafa stays for three, four, six, or seven months. Are we afraid of losing a legend? Will the perception of Rafa worsen? Will people think it’s a shame he didn’t retire when he turns 39? Or will they simply remember all the great things Rafa has done? If it’s a difference of a few months, will our perspective of him change significantly? I understand that Rafa says, ‘hey, I want to play as long as I want,’ which we all agree with, but it’s another thing to announce retirement, as that would be final.”
Nadal’s next tournament is expected to be the US Open, but he has already expressed uncertainty about participating in the summer hard-court swing during his last interview in Paris. He will not be competing in the Canadian Open and is not included in the entry list for the Cincinnati Open.
Former Roland Garros finalist Corretja believes that Nadal’s preparation for the US Open will not be ideal due to his decision not to play any warm-up tournaments on hard courts. Corretja also expressed doubt that Nadal will be able to make a successful transition to the fast court surface without prior experience.
“For the US Open on a fast court? It’s impossible to go into it without having played on a hard court in New York. Will he be able to adapt to the change in surface again in just 10 days before Cincinnati? I see it as highly unlikely. He needs to find a point where he decides that he has gone as far as he wants to go and that it’s worth the effort, like up to the Laver Cup.”
In addition, the 50-year-old suggested that Nadal could still contribute to Spain’s Davis Cup team in the final later this year if they make it to the knockout phase in November.
“What if he helps the Davis Cup team in some way? Perhaps by motivating himself to play doubles and contribute to the team’s success, which could lead them to the semifinals in September and potentially the final in November. If not, how can he train in Manacor now without knowing what he is preparing for? That is the problem, in my opinion.”
Photo from Rafael Nadal Instagram
