“It wasn’t today that I had to leave everything and die, in Paris it will go as God wants. At the Roland Garros I hope to be competitive, that’s the time. I had the opportunity to say goodbye to Godó by playing.
A week ago I thought I wouldn’t I would have been able to play here again. The clear message before the tournament was to prioritize not taking risks. The important thing was to be able to play and being on the court is excellent news.”
Rafael Nadal has made it clear that there is only one tournament where he can give his all, only one tournament that is worth dying for.
At the press conference following the defeat in the 2nd round of the Barcelona Open against Alex De Minaur, the Spanish champion analyzed his performance and his physical state, clarifying – as if there were any need – how he is ready to give everything if himself at the French Open.
However, Rafa, in the same press conference, said that it is still difficult for him to be able to face a two or three hour match. In what was most likely the last match at the ATP 500 in Barcelona, on the court named after him, Nadal was unable to beat Alex De Minaur.
Rafael Nadal© David Ramos / Staff Getty Images Sport
After a balanced first set, in which the 37-year-old Spaniard played good tennis, the Australian took command of the match and, with a difference of 12 points to 1, won the second set and closed the match.
“By losing the first set I couldn’t fight for the match and it was over. I play with what I have and there are moments when I don’t play. Today I can’t afford to play a three-hour match,” said Rafa.
On his latest appearance in Godó and future plans, Nadal explained: “I hope to be in Madrid in a week. I hope to accumulate training and match days. Normally it would have been my last game in Barcelona. I’m fine, at the end of the day I’m a pretty stable person emotionally.
I take things philosophically and analyze them in the right way. I have always respected the history of our sport and this tournament is one of the most historic. I really enjoyed playing here. I managed to win 12 times, which was unimaginable.”
The Spanish champion then added: “I will continue on my way, this is tennis. In sports, generations pass and others will come. There is no player more important than classic and historical tournaments. I was lucky enough to write a good story at Godó and others will come who will try to surpass it.
Everything has a beginning and an end, and it’s not a drama. It hurts me because I would have liked to fight for the tournament. On a personal level, for what is to come, I come away strengthened. The 6-1 in the second set is what should have happened today.”
Rafael Nadal© @bcnopenbs X account
But will Rafa be able to be at the Roland Garros?
Other words shared by Nadal in the press conference have alarmed Spanish fans quite a bit in view of the upcoming tournaments, in particular towards the Roland Garros.
“I can’t afford to play a 2-3 hour match at a competitive level at the moment. I’m very clear on what I can and can’t do, sometimes I’ve had to slow down the pace a bit. In the last three months I haven’t even been able to I practice a lot of serving, so it’s difficult to serve normally for a couple of hours. This hasn’t happened since Brisbane.
Before coming here I only played a few training sets and the Las Vegas match, I didn’t play anything else. I had some opportunities, some moments that could have gone in my favor but I made some mistakes with my forehand. I disappointed the fans a bit because I competed very little, but I accept what I have and where I come from. I try to be positive at all times,” he said, analyzing the defeat against Alex De Minaur.
Rafael Nadal© @bcnopenbs X account
As I said at the beginning of the article, Rafa definitively said goodbye to the ATP 500 in Barcelona, a tournament that he won 12 times during his wonderful career.
“It was my last match at Godó, you all know how important this event was for me, it was the tournament par excellence that we played in Spain for a long time. The best players in history have passed through here.
Furthermore, it is played in a tennis club, which makes this competition different from the vast majority. I really enjoyed playing here, I experienced very good moments, I managed to win 12 times, something unimaginable for me.
I can only thank all the people of this club for the treatment received. I will continue my path, this is tennis, generations pass as is logical, others will come. I was lucky enough to write a beautiful story in this tournament, a story that had never been written before, others will come to try to surpass it. I have always been aware that everything has a beginning and an end, there is no drama,” he exoplained.
Rafael Nadal© @bcnopenbs X account
The Spaniard’s words seem to go in two different directions, but ultimately, they ultimately come to a common point.
At the moment Rafa cannot handle a 2-3 hour match at a competitive level, but he hopes to raise his level in these weeks that separate him from the Round of Garros, to arrive in Paris in a worthy psycho-fiscal condition and, therefore, try to give everything: after all, as Rafa himself said, at the Roland Garros it is worth dying and giving everything.
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