One of the many reasons why tennis fans were excited for the clay season was to witness Rafael Nadal in action. However, merely days before the Monte Carlo Masters 2024 commences, the Spaniard announces his withdrawal from the ATP 1000 tournament. Withdrawing from yet another tournament, Nadal’s career trajectory looks to be taking the Pete Sampras and Roger Federer route.
After losing the second-round encounter at the Australian Open 2023, Rafael Nadal was sidelined for the entire 2023 season before participating in the Brisbane International 2024. Since suffering a quarterfinal loss against Jordan Thompson, Nadal withdrew from the Australian Open 2024, the Indian Wells Masters 2024, and now the Monte-Carlo Masters 2024.
Having barely played for the last 16 months, without even announcing his retirement, Rafael Nadal’s final stage of his career can be compared to that of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.
Back in 2002, Pete Sampras played his last match at the US Open, where he won the Grand Slam. For the next 12 months, the American legend didn’t play a single match on the Tour. But it was eventually in August 2003 that Sampras decided to hang his boots just before the US Open commenced, deciding to not defend his title. Sampras was past his peak after the 2001 season.
Even Roger Federer had a similar last few years before his retirement. Roger Federer was way past his prime after tennis resumed following the COVID-19 break in 2020. After suffering a quarter-final loss in the Wimbledon 2021, the Swiss didn’t partake in a single tournament. Despite falling out of the top 50, Federer didn’t call it quits.
However, in July 2022, after becoming unranked for the first time in his career, FedEx believed that it was time to retire. Hence, he committed that the Laver Cup 2022 was going to be the final event on tour that he participated in.
Rafael Nadal has had an injury-riddled career. Fans of the tennis maestro would want the 22-time Grand Slam winner to put an end to his injury misery and retire soon. However, it would be ideal for Rafa to participate in a few iconic tournaments – Barcelona Open, Roland Garros, and Olympics 2024 (if the ITF allows him to play) – before concluding his 23-year illustrious career.
