Nadal confirms: The season is over for me!

Everything that the Spanish media announced yesterday, Rafael Nadal confirmed today at the press conference: he will not play at the upcoming Roland Garros!

Moreover, Nadal announced that the 2023 season is over for him, because due to a hip problem he could not play in, for him, the most important part of the year, when the tour moved to clay courts. In the last three years, Rafa has played very little in the second part of the season anyway, so the decision not to pick up a racket until 2024 is not a big surprise.

"The recovery from the injury I suffered in Australia did not go as I expected. I haven't been able to achieve numerous goals since then, so a performance at Roland Garros is impossible. Considering that you all know how much this tournament means to me, you can understand how difficult this decision is for me. I have no intention of playing in the next few months," Nadal said at the start of the conference.

However, the 'Bull from Mallorca' did not, as many expected, announce that he had finished his career. His plan is to return to what he is best at next year - tennis. But also to retire after that.

"I'm not able to compete right now, it's not possible. I will try to recover in the coming months, I will not set a date when I should return. When I'm physically fit, I'll start all over again. It could happen that at the end of the year, for example, I will play in the Davis Cup. And to be ready to wait for the start of the next season. I think it will be my last year in my career."

Rafa underlined his intention is to play next season.

"If I continued to play now, then next year I wouldn't be able to. I will not play in the next months, I will not go to Roland Garros, but my intention is to be on the field next year. I want to retire from the field, not from an injury, and say goodbye to those who supported me".

The Spanish ace points out that he still has the desire to fight for the biggest trophies.

"I feel better now than a few months ago. Week in week out there are questions, it's easier for me to explain how things are. I'm fine, except I'm sad to miss an important part of the season. As for tennis, I am still ready to fight for important trophies. But physically, I'm not at the desired level and I have to come to terms with that. Even though my head didn't want it, my body told me I had to stop. This is an important break so that I can fight for Grand Slam trophies again," said Nadal.

Rafa has won Roland Garros 14 times, and this will be his first time since 2005 that he will not play at the French Open.