Rafael Nadal's health shows no signs of faltering despite Netflix exhibition loss

tennis

From the Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Many mysteries remain about Rafael Nadal and his health, as he has only played 12 competitive matches since the 2022 U.S. Open.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion competed in an unofficial event on Sunday, losing 3-6, 6-4 (14-12) to fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz at the Netflix Slam in front of a sold-out crowd of 9,489. Ta. Nadal, 37, showed no signs of back-related problems.

Leading 5-2 in the first set, Nadal said in a courtside interview with Netflix that his performance at that point was “much better than I expected.”

The match was also a bit of a physical test for Alcaraz, who injured his right ankle at the Rio Open on February 20. Like Nadal, he showed no obvious signs of physical limitations.

The question facing Nadal now is whether he will be able to make it in time for the French Open in May.

Nadal dominated the tournament like no other, winning 14 majors.

While the match with Alcaraz was a positive sign, Nadal said beforehand he was unsure what his future holds at Roland Garros and beyond.

Nadal withdrew from the Australian Open in January after sustaining a microtear in his surgically repaired hip. He then missed the tournament in Doha, Qatar.

Nadal will undergo another test this week in Indian Wells. This will be his first real tennis since Melbourne. He was preparing for a hard court event in California before heading to Las Vegas to face Alcaraz.

“Even if I don't play as many official matches, I need to spend more time on tour, at least to practice with the pros,” Nadal said the day before the exhibition. “The important thing now is to get our rhythm back. We didn't play as well as we wanted. We had to withdraw from Doha, so we'll see.”

Men's tennis is passing a kind of torch.

Nadal's longtime rival, Roger Federer, retired two years ago after winning 20 Grand Slams. Nadal remains on the tour, but the big question is whether he will add to his Grand Slam total.

Novak Djokovic, who turns 37 in May, could be the only dominant player of his generation still near his peak. The world's top-ranked player won three of his 24 career major titles last year.

However, a younger generation of players is emerging on the scene. Alcaraz, 20, has already won two major championships. Jannik Sinner, 22, won the Australian and beat Djokovic in the semi-finals, rallying from two sets down to defeat former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to win his first Grand Slam title.

“The game is in good shape, I would say it's in great shape,” said eight-time major champion Andre Agassi, who was promoting the exhibition in his hometown. “We've just watched, and we're going to continue to watch, probably the greatest generation to ever play this game. We'll probably be lucky if we can get close to that again.” Masu.”

Agassi said he encouraged Alcaraz to learn all he could from Nadal.

“He is a man who can be said to have treated himself with class and dignity and humility for many years,” Agassi said. “It's really real. When you talk about the French Open, it's a lifetime away for him right now, what's important is what he's going to do (Saturday night), what he's going to do (Sunday), And it's just a matter of what he's going to do with his every step of the day.”

Alcaraz said he has drawn a lot of inspiration from watching Nadal over the years, noting that his ability to contest every point has left a particularly lasting impression. That was proven again in an exhibition when Nadal converted five match points in a super tiebreak.

“I think the way he finds solutions when things aren't going well is incredible,” Alcaraz said. “I think that's the biggest thing I learned from him and I try to incorporate into my game.”

How many matches does Nadal have left?

As one of the greatest careers of all time draws to a close, even he isn't so sure at the moment.

“My mind is healthy, so above all my body,” Nadal said. “I'm passionate about what I do.”