After an unfortunate loss and a disheartening injury at the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal kept fans on edge regarding his on-court plans. The Spanish tennis star, however, has now cleared the air on his future. Eerily, it seems like history is repeating itself. Nadal seems to be following a similar trajectory to that followed by his arch-rival for 19 years, Roger Federer.

Shedding light on his Roland Garros plans as well as long-term retirement plans, Nadal has given his verdict. The decision seems oddly similar to the Swiss Maestro doing the same after facing an injury at Wimbledon in 2021.

Is Rafael Nadal following the footsteps of arch-rival Roger Federer?

After Roger Federer, now Rafael Nadal has announced his retirement plans. Though there has been no confirmation about the time, he has expressed a desire to end his career on his terms. For that, he wants to come back in a good position next year. He stated, “My idea is that next year is my last day in professional tennis. I want to be competitive. The chances are higher if I stop now.”  Nadal, in his press conference, further gave an update about his injury.

He stated, “At a personal level, day-to-day work, things are difficult.” The 36-year-old has also confirmed that he won’t be playing in the upcoming months because of his injury at the Australian Open and is also ruled out for the Roland Garros. Nadal added, “Not playing Roland-Garros is not my decision, it’s my body’s decision.”

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The tennis player is hoping to stay on the court for as long as he can. With his mind focused on 2024, he wishes to make a stronger comeback after rehabilitating from this tricky injury.

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He stated, “I want to play the last tournaments important for me like @Paris2024. Will it be my last tournament? I don’t know.’ I’d like to have the personal satisfaction to finish in a way I chose.” Federer had a similar journey when he bid adieu to the sport after his injury at Wimbledon in 2021.

Is Nadal unrealistic about his goals?

Yet another similarity is the statements the two have made. Just like Federer, Rafael Nadal is aware of the reality. Talking about his run on the court after 2024, he stated, “I don’t want to put myself in a position to say one thing and to do another thing. I’m optimistic but not a dreamer.”

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal go a long way back when they first met at the Miami Open in 2004. Eventually, the two had a face-off against each other 40 times. With the victory ball going here and there, Nadal managed to defeat Federer 24 times. With each match, however, their rivalry and friendship both grew.

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After Federer faced an injury at 2021 Wimbledon, he wished to make a comeback and play professionally. For some teaser shots, however, Federer came back in 2022 to play only Laver Cup and then retired.