Tennis legend Rafael Nadal says 2024 will "probably" be his final year after withdrawing from the French Open for the first time since 2004.
Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, is the most decorated player in Roland Garos history. He's won the tournament 14 times, more than any other player by a considerable distance, and has played in the last 18 editions. But now 36, he has struggled for fitness and has announced he won't be able to compete this time around.
He won the 2022 tournament in a year that also saw him claim the Australian Open. But he has now announced he won't be able to compete this year - confirming 2024 will probably be his last as he gets set for a "farewell tour." Nadal said: "The first thing is I'm not going to be able to play in Roland Garros. I was even working as much as possible every single day for last four months, they have been very difficult months because we were not able to find a solution to the problems I have in Australia.
"Today I am still in a position where I am not able to feel myself ready to compete at the standards I need to be able to play Roland Garros. I am not the guy who will be at Roland Garros just to play. I'm going to stop for a while, maybe months. I believe it's the right thing to do for my body and personal happiness. Next year is probably going to be my last year on the professional tour. I can’t say 100 per cent it will be like this but this is my idea.”
Nadal is a two-time Wimbledon champion while he has also won the Australian Open twice and the US Open four times - most recently in 2019. He's currently ranked at 14 in the world but it seems his days as one of the best in the business are numbered.
