A player who has produced some magical moments at Wimbledon over the years, Spanish tennis icon Rafael Nadal has confirmed he won’t be able to feature at the prestigious tournament this summer due to injury.
Plans are in place for the 37-year-old to retire after next season, meaning tickets will be hot property to see the great Nadal in action for one last time at Wimbledon in 2024.
Injury scuppers 2023 plans
There were high hopes Nadal would be able to add to his 22 Grand Slam titles this season but those dreams were dashed at the first major competition of the year. Rival Novak Djokovic, who is 5/4 in the betting on tennis markets to win the US Open later this year, managed to claim the first slam title of the season at the Australian Open. While Djokovic, who is 6/5 in the Wimbledon 2023 odds, was celebrating his 22nd Grand Slam title, Nadal was assessing a severe hip injury. The Spanish star picked up the issue during his second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald in Melbourne, in what was a nightmare start to his season.
With work going on behind the scenes with his recovery, there were hopes the injury in January would heel in time for Nadal to try and win the 15th title of his career at the French Open. However, his favourite Grand Slam came too soon for the veteran, who was forced to withdraw from his beloved tournament. During the competition in the French capital, Nadal confirmed he would be sidelined for yet another five months after an operation on his hip. Out of action for the foreseeable future, Nadal will be fully focused on getting back on court when the Australian Open rolls around again in January next year.
An emotional farewell at Wimbledon in store
The topic of retirement has been brought up time and time again in recent years with Nadal, especially considering the injury issues he’s been forced to deal with. Speaking in May, he suggested 2024 is likely to be his farewell season and he will be doing all he can to be fit for the competitions that have meant the most to him over his playing career. The French Open will undoubtedly be at the top of his list, with Roland-Garros being the happiest hunting ground for the ‘King of Clay’.
The glamorous Wimbledon competition is also likely to be near the top of the list, as Nadal has played a big role in the tournament’s story over the last two decades. Making his debut appearance in the Grand Slam event at the All England Club in 2003, he managed to win the tournament in 2008 and 2010. The scene of some titanic battles with his old rival Roger Federer, Nadal has been a fans’ favourite at SW19 over the years.
It looks like the curtain will fall on Nadal’s Wimbledon story in 2024, and tickets for his matches at the All England Club will be in high demand as this icon of the sport bows out in London for the very last time.
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