Nadal: "I am not burned out by tennis, if I could continue playing, I would have done it"

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Rafael Nadal spoke with great sincerity about what he expects from this week at the 2024 Davis Cup, where he will bid farewell to professional tennis. He was very cautious about his chances of competing and explained why he has decided to end his professional career at this time and give up a new attempt in 2025.

Emotions are running high, as seen in the press conference held by the Spanish team of 2024 Davis Cup. The numerous international and national media accredited at the tournament bombarded a very composed Rafael Nadal with questions, who held his ground perfectly, explained the reasons for his retirement, and emphasized that the important thing this week is to compete to win the Davis Cup, much more than his farewell.

- How he approaches this week at the 2024 Davis Cup and his chances of competing

"Movie endings are for Hollywood, here we must focus on competing and each doing our best for the team. I have tried to work as best as possible over the last month and a half to arrive here in good condition, and I believe I have improved a lot. It's difficult to discern your real level when you're not competing, but if I have to play a match, I will do so with maximum enthusiasm and determination," he asserted.

"For me, it means a lot to be able to say goodbye in Spain and on the court. I cannot predict how I will feel if I go out to compete, but I must set emotions aside. The captain decides, and here the team's importance and us being ready to fight for the Davis Cup prevail," he warned.

- What lessons he draws from his career

"I am not the type of person who says I wouldn't change anything because I consider it arrogant. Of course, I would make different decisions if I could go back, but I feel at peace with myself because I have given everything I had during my professional career. The most important thing I have learned is to accept challenges, to work every day to be better, and to enjoy the process. I will greatly miss the daily routine necessary to compete, but also the adrenaline felt on the court and the atmosphere created by the fans," explained the Spaniard.

- Why he is making the decision to retire now

"What leads me to leave tennis now is that I feel I can no longer be competitive enough. I could play one more year to say goodbye to the most important tournaments of my career, but it doesn't make sense for me to continue when I am fully aware that my body does not allow me to strive for the competitive goals that motivate me. I am not burnt out with tennis; if I could, I would continue playing, but it is impossible for me to train with the necessary consistency to compete at a level that compensates for the day-to-day efforts," he stated.

Asked at what point he became aware of this, Rafael Nadal was emphatic. "I said over a year ago that I did not deserve to say goodbye in a press conference and that I wanted to give myself a chance to return. I have done so, and things have not turned out as I expected. The truth is, since I had the injury in Australia 2023, I have not played freely. I had surgery, part of my iliac psoas had to be removed, and from that moment on, it was impossible to play without limitations, only occasionally. My body does not give me the necessary leeway to create training and competition windows as I would like," he asserted.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nadal: "No estoy quemado con el tenis, si pudiera seguir jugando lo habría hecho"