Rafael Nadal unclear about tennis future after Olympic Games ends: "If I don't have the desire or motivation, I will hang up my racket"

Rafael Nadal has offered an uncertain verdict on his tennis future after he was defeated alongside Carlos Alcaraz against the team of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek. The Spaniard gave conditions as to when the time will come.

Nadal ended his Olympic Games career with a multitude of medals accolades and he is proud of what he has achieved. He lauded teaming with Carlos Alcaraz with the 22-time Grand Slam champion saying that emotions mean more than results and for him to get the chance to be on court with his compatriot means a lot.

“I will go to spend time with my family after 4 months in which I enjoyed tennis again, despite some problems and disappointments. When I am clear about what I will do in the future with or without a racket in my hand, I will let you know," said Nadal. "If I don't have the desire, strength, or motivation to continue, I will hang up my racket.”

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"I came here with the goal to give as much chance as possible to win a medal and I needed to play doubles and honestly at this stage of my career I play for feelings, I play for emotions more than results.

"And for me the emotion and the feeling to be on court with Carlos and the expectation that we created in Spain too and you see that playing doubles, full stadium every single time, amazing atmosphere, is something that I bring back home.

"I won enough in my career, I won much more than what I ever dreamed so for me it’s about enjoying different experience and for me, that’s another lifetime experience too, to share with Carlos - an amazing player that I think is going to be of course one of the best in history too. To share this moment for [the] Spanish team. So I enjoyed that, and that’s it."

Emotions means more than medals is the verdict on his Olympic career for Nadal.

"I enjoyed every single moment, no? With more, less success. Honestly the feeling and the emotions that we live in an Olympic Games are difficult to compere with other events because here you feel part of something bigger than only a personal team. And that’s an amazing feeling. I feel so lucky that I have been able to win a gold in singles because, at the end, it’s the most difficult event to win because you have just a few chances in your career,"

"That’s the truth and I was able to win in singles in Beijing on hard courts and I was able to win a doubles with one of my best friends, that’s something very special too. So I feel very lucky and I can’t complain. This time was not possible but that’s it. We tried.

"The Olympic Games are for me without a doubt the most important event in the world of sport and I enjoyed every single moment with the team, in the village, sharing with the rest of the sportspeople. I can’t complain, I feel so lucky that because of tennis I have been able to enjoy so many experiences in my life that I [would] never have the chance to enjoy without the sport."

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He also admitted that the US Open is looking unlikely and while his head is a malaise at the moment, the verdict is not a likely good prognosis for the tournament hoping to have Nadal.

"Looks like not but I’m gonna let you know soon," Nadal said when asked if he would be heading State-side for the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. "For me, now, I can’t give you a clear answer, I need some time. But for me, looks difficult."

But it could be his last Philippe Chatrier appearance with Nadal paying tribute to the place that made him the King of Clay. "Maybe. I think if that’s the last time, for me, it’s an unforgettable feeling and emotions. They give me the love and the support every single second that I have been on court.

"For me it’s super, super special to feel that in particular in this place so I can’t really thank enough all of them for giving me the feeling that I have inside myself and the emotions that they make me feel. So I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future but if that’s the last time I enjoyed it."

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Etched in history 🥇 The #Olympics run of 2x Gold Medalist Rafael Nadal has come to an end 🥹 #Paris2024 #tennis

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