As rumours point to Rafael Nadal ending career at Laver Cup, here's why he won't with another date pencilled in

A shifting of the goalposts so to speak at least in some minds of tennis fans, Rafael Nadal won't retire at the Olympic Games seemingly and he won't at the Laver Cup either despite murmurings that he'd go down the Roger Federer route.

Nadal was part of Roger Federer's big celebration back in 2022 when both were pictured weeping on the bench as the Swiss legend bowed out. He was unable to return to the tour and didn't go down the route some have of trying anyway and then tarnishing their legacy losing to lesser names.

Being a Federer tournament, tennis fans will have been intrigued when Nadal was announced to play Berlin given also that it is a consensus that he will play until the Paris Olympics which are set for the end of July. There was also the French Open mooted but with two visits to Roland Garros this year, he will likely receive some kind of exemption to play the Olympic Games.

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“At this stage in my career I really want to go out there and make the most of every opportunity I am given,” said Nadal on the announcement being made on Monday. "Teaming up is always an incredible experience and I have always enjoyed it, the competition is different and exciting. I’m looking forward to going to Berlin and helping Team Europe win back the Laver Cup.”

Saudi Slam or Malaga retirement?

But one note that was missed was that Nadal could retire competitively at the Olympic Games, but it won't be the final time we see him on the tennis court or end his career as with the Laver Cup and also the Saudi Slam to come, he is set to play at least until October. This lucrative tournament which he will play given that he is a Saudi ambassador also features Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune. But he could also end his career in front of his home fans in a different way.

Prepared to die to play at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal could end it instead in Malaga.

The Davis Cup Finals are being staged in Malaga at the end of the year and the ITF have handed Spain a wildcard. He has won the tournament five times and could see the tournament as his real farewell to the sport. He also had it in mind last year in his 'retirement' press conference that he could play Davis Cup in 2023 as his return tournament which never transpired. But it shows that it was on his mind.

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He certainly won't play for too much longer no matter if he ends his career in Saudi Arabia or Malaga. “I have to give myself the option to do this in a few weeks, at least try,” he said after his loss to De Minaur in Barcelona. "If I had died at a general level, I would never have the opportunity to do so in a few weeks, so I have to play according to the objective I have.

“I have to measure according to how I feel, so I will play in Madrid according to this factor. If my body responds and I accumulate good training, I will be able to take a step forward in Madrid. If my body is capable of assimilating the loads progressively, that must help me to demand more and more from it, but I don’t know. On a logical level, the idea is to progress, but I’m not talking about winning games, but rather at the level of fighting for things.

“In Madrid go a little better, in Rome a little more.. and in Paris (French Open) let it be whatever God wants. Now is the time to try.”

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Rafael Nadal with the fans at the Laureus World Sports Awards.

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