Tennis: Rafael Nadal leaves the door open to continuing his career after 2024

Rafael Nadal resumed with a doubles match in Brisbane. MAXPPP – DARREN ENGLAND

The Spaniard thinks that 2024 will be his last season but his decision has not been made.

Rafael Nadal, absent from the courts for almost a year, left the door open on Sunday to a continuation of his career after the 2024 season, while recognizing that there is had "a high percentage" lucky that the tour he is currently embarking on in Australia will be his last.

"The problem, when I say that this will be my last season, is that I can't predict 100% what will happen in the future," he said in press conference. "Obviously the percentage (chance) is high that this will be the last time I play here in Australia (…) But if I'm here next year, don't tell me : "You said it would be your last season", because I didn't say it", he added.

He should return on Sunday

After 347 days of absence due to a hip injury, the 37-year-old Spaniard was due to return to the Brisbane tournament on Sunday evening, first in doubles , associated with his compatriot and trainer Marc Lopez, before entering the fray in the singles, facing an old acquaintance, Dominic Thiem. The Austrian, from qualifying, who is also attempting a return to the highest level, after having suffered in recent seasons, was his victim twice in the Roland-Garros finals.

The Aussies prevail 🇦🇺

In Nadal's first match since January 2023, Purcell & Thompson defeat Rafa & Marc Lopez 6-4 6-4!#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/lZmUF0pBE6

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) December 31, 2023

The big question concerns his state of health, after 22 years of a career full of titles, 22 Grand Slams, which will have bruised his body with numerous injuries. The last one on the iliopsoas, which required two operations, occurred during the Australian Open, on January 18, 2023.

He thought about retirement

"I can't predict what I'll be like in the next six months. I can't predict if my body will allow me to enjoy tennis as much as I have for the last twenty years,” insisted Nadal, who confessed to having thought about retiring from tennis during his long convalescence. "If I thought about retirement during this time? Of course yes. I had to go through a lot to get back,' he said, 'but at some point I decided to keep going. I had the determination to continue.