"I honestly don't think he will say goodbye": Fellow ex professional and friend Juan Monaco believes Nadal will find it hard to end career in 2024
ATP
Former world number 10 Juan Monaco is hoping to see his friend
Rafael Nadal change his retirement plans.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner has announced that he will be
calling it quits next year after suffering multiple injuries in the recent
past. It is because of this reason Nadal will not participate in any professional
tennis in 2023.
Juan, who won nine ATP titles in his career, while talking
to clay, expressed optimism to see the 37-year-old continue playing at the
highest level for a bit longer and suggested that the 14-time French Open
winner will not just return to the court ‘to see what happens’.
“I think if he decides to return, to train hard to return to
the tour is to win,” said the 39-year-old. “If he doesn’t, he won’t come back. I
honestly don’t think [he’ll say goodbye]. He’s going to set the limit for
himself. I know him a lot, and I think that if he prepares to come back, he
prepares to win, he doesn’t prepare to make the quarter-finals.
“He has a very high standard. I think he has not played
Roland-Garros, because he was seen in training, that he was not ready to win
Roland-Garros, although he could have played it. If he prepares to come back,
he comes back to win, not to see what happens.
“He made a big effort to try to come back after Australia,
and every time he strained his leg it bothered him a lot. Until he had to take
the decision to have surgery. It is a complicated operation, he is doing it to
be able to walk calmly tomorrow.
"Whether he can play tennis again will depend
on how much effort he wants to put in. I know how much pain he is in, I know
that in the last five years he has been living with a lot of pain.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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