The 2020 Paris Games are underway, and Rafael Nadal had a strong start in the Men’s Doubles, only to face defeat in his singles match on Monday against world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard will return to the courts on Tuesday, July 30, to compete again in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
Nadal and Djokovic have had a two-decade rivalry, and Monday’s match, which ended with a score of 6-1, 6-4, could be their last. Nadal has been battling injuries for over a year and was virtually out of the 2023 season.
When he left the courts, fans in the stands showed their utmost respect with an ovation. He was also surrounded by his loved ones: his wife, Mery Perelló, his mother, Ana María, his father, Sebastián, and his sister, Maribel, cheered from the stands.
There has been speculation that the 38-year-old will retire soon, but he is not thinking about his last game. “I cannot live every single day with the feeling that it’s going to be, or not going to be, my last match. I come here, I try my best, I play. And when I decide to stop playing, or when I decide to keep going, I will let you know. I don’t know,” Nadal said after his defeat, per AP.
<img src="https://naijasitemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/images-78-300×169.jpeg" alt="Rafael Nadal had the support of his family during his devastating loss" width="300" height="169" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-31210"
Following his win, Djokovic acknowledged that while it could be their last match, he hoped that was not the case. “I just hope for the sake of our rivalry, and the sport in general, that we’ll get to face each other once, maybe a few times, on different surfaces, in different parts of the world, because I feel like it can only benefit the sport. But I don’t know how he feels in his body, what his plans are," he told reporters.
The tennis professionals have faced each other 60 times throughout their careers, with 31 victories for the Serbian and 29 for Nadal.
Nadal will have to put the loss behind him and go into warrior mode as he continues his fight alongside Alcaraz. The duo will take on the Dutch doubles partners Wesley Koolhof and Tallon Griekspoor on Tuesday.