Toni Nadal: ‘We’ll see’ on Rafael Nadal’s status post French Open, ‘don’t consider the future’

ByEurosport

Updated 02/02/2023 at 14:48 GMT

Fans of Rafael Nadal were extremely concerned by his early exit at the Australian Open, with many wondering whether the Spaniard will only have a handful of tournaments left in his body. Speaking to Vanity Fair Espana, his uncle Toni Nadal has said that they are taking things tournament by tournament and are making no guarantees over his nephew’s future.

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The uncle of legendary tennis player Rafa Nadal, Toni, has said in his latest column for Vanity Fair Espana that he and his nephew’s team are taking things tournament by tournament when it comes to the future.

Nadal, 36, had a very difficult start to 2023 when he was knocked out in the Australian Open by Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets.

The Spaniard was very clearly bothered by a hip injury during the game and was left to reflect on the issue after the match.

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That injury concern has raised worries about Nadal’s future with one of the Big Three, Roger Federer, having already retired from professional tennis.

In an interview with Vanity Fair Espana for his latest column, the elder Nadal said little to ease those concerns.

“When one has been there for so many years, as is the case with him, and after having had so many problems in the last year, where he ended up too injured, I don’t consider the future beyond the next tournament,” Toni Nadal said.

“You never really know how things are going to go. It is true that Rafael has a very punished body, but it is also true that he has been on the professional circuit since he was 16 years old and that is something you pay for.

“There are many years hitting the ball and moving at high intensity. When you have that, it is easy for the body to fail here today and there tomorrow. I trust that he can lift the Roland-Garros trophy this year, and then we’ll see.”

Nadal is expected to miss around eight weeks of action, and at the moment, it has not been confirmed whether or not he will play two of the more prominent events of the Spring schedule, Indian Wells (which starts on March 6) and the Miami Open (which starts on March 20).

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'Rafael Nadal is still there!' - Wilander and Schett on GOAT race

Eurosport experts Mats Wilander and Barbara Schett gave their views on the intense rivalries shared by Roger Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the latter secured a record-extending 10th title at the 2023 Australian Open.

"We are going to miss those rivalries tremendously," Wilander said on Eurosport's Australian Open coverage.

"Novak will be the last of the big three to keep playing because of his body. Okay, he’s got a little injury here, but he seems to be able to deal with the injuries that he gets. He looks so fresh and young.

"He is going to beat Federer at skiing, I’m assuming because he grew up skiing! We’re going to miss him [Federer]. Lleyton Hewitt told me that we don’t have to worry about those three going away because it’s all about rivalries.

"We saw Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner last year at the US Open. That to me went, ‘oh my god, it is all about a rivalry!’ The question is, are we going to get the rivalries the way we got them with the 'Big Three', as well as Andy Murray?”

Read the full article here.