Rafael Nadal: 'That says that you had...'

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Injuries have also not given Rafael Nadal a break this year. After winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros, the Spanish star suffered an abdominal tear during Wimbledon. The former World No. 1 attempted a miraculous comeback, but had to drop out on the eve of the semi-final against Nick Kyrgios. That setback also affected his approach at the US Open, where he fell in the round of 16 at the hands of Frances Tiafoe. The 22-time Slam champion later traveled to London to say goodbye to his great rival Roger Federer, who said goodbye to tennis at the Laver Cup. The Mallorcan could not hold back his tears during the ceremony in honor of Federer, which testifies to the deep and sincere bond that has been created between the two over the years. On Saturday October 8, Rafa and Xisca gave birth to their first child. In a long interview with 'Tennis Magazine', Alexandre Waske expressed his concern about Nadal's future. "The boys in my academy have doubts about the future of Rafael Nadal. He played Roland Garros with an anesthetized foot and admitted that at the time he seriously considered retiring. We saw him walk on crutches a few days after winning in Paris. Ten days later he started preparing for Wimbledon. Rafa wants to close on his own terms," ​​Waske explained. "When we talk about his fitness and his future, Boris Becker's parable comes to mind. Nadal could have serious physical limitations in a few years, just like Boris. All signs point in that direction. The love for the game and the addiction to competition are stronger than reason," he added. The Spanish veteran hopes to break the taboo of the ATP Finals, one of the few trophies he is missing.

Nadal practiced with Taylor Fritz 

Rafael Nadal practiced with Taylor Fritz ahead of the ATP Finals on Wednesday. "It's always great news to be playing the last event of the year. That says that you had a great season, so I'm excited," Nadal said. "Italy is a very close country for me. Being in Turin for the first time in my life, it's a new experience, so I'm very happy for that and I'm looking forward to seeing the stadium and the fans. I'll try my best as always. My greatest rival is Novak Djokovic. After all, he is the one who is closest to the number of Grand Slams, with 21. And for all the times we face each other, for our history. Out of all the active players, my most dangerous rival, without a doubt, is Novak," Rafael Nadal said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/PxNhzuy

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