Nadal to Determine Tennis Future After Olympics

Rafael Nadal has announced that he will decide on his tennis future “after the Olympics” following a straight-sets defeat to longtime rival Novak Djokovic at the Paris Games on Monday.

Nadal, who lost 6-1, 6-4 in his 60th career match against Djokovic, stated, “Once this tournament concludes, I will make decisions based on my feelings and my desire.”

At 38, Nadal admitted he no longer possesses the physical prowess of his younger self. He has played only seven tournaments this year due to ongoing injury issues, and his world ranking has fallen to 161.

The Spaniard, who secured gold in singles at the 2008 Olympics and in doubles at Rio 2016, last claimed a Grand Slam title with his 14th French Open win in 2022. His recent struggles include a first-round loss at the French Open in May and a decision to skip Wimbledon to focus on the Olympics.

Nadal described Monday’s loss as “tough” and acknowledged that if he feels he is no longer competitive or physically up to the challenge, he will consider retiring.

Despite his defeat, Nadal is still in contention for a gold medal in men’s doubles, where he is partnered with Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic’s win was his 31st against Nadal in their rivalry, which began at Roland Garros in 2006. Djokovic expressed relief after the match, noting, “I don’t think we would have imagined back in 2006 that we’d be facing each other at the Olympics.”

Nadal admitted Djokovic was the superior player throughout their encounter. “Playing against Novak without the legs of 20 years ago is almost impossible,” he said.

Both players showed signs of physical strain, with Djokovic wearing knee strapping and Nadal heavily bandaged on his right thigh. Djokovic quickly took a 4-0 lead with two breaks of serve, and Nadal struggled to find his rhythm, only managing four points off Djokovic’s serve in the first set.

In the second set, Djokovic’s double fault gave Nadal a chance to break back and level at 4-4, but Djokovic regained control with a decisive break and an ace to close out the match.