2024 has been disappointing for many top ATP and WTA stars. Over the past few months, there have been numerous injuries, withdrawals, and walkthroughs from the players. Recently, the Mutua Madrid Open witnessed more than four players withdrawing from the tournament, including the likes of Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev .
Spanish ace Rafael Nadal was asked to share his thoughts about these injuries. The Spaniard had a clear answer to the situation, blaming the organizations for hosting multiple major events, making the sport more challenging than ever.
Moreover, Nadal said that a player gets injured if they push their body to a limit during the matches, causing the injuries. With the change in courts of such a fast-paced sport, Nadal reckoned that it may just add more to this grave issue.
If we want to talk about, why people get injured, I’ll tell you very clearly… when you push your body to the limit, you get injured at the end. When the game is faster and faster and faster, you get injured. When you play most of the year on hard courts and the surfaces are tougher for the body, you get injured. That's the simple answer--Then other world is on the side. That is about the tournaments. That is about the business, about the sport by itself. That's another conversation. At the end the players want to make money. The tournaments want to make money. Then it's the whole cycle that comes together. We accept that role. said Rafael Nadal via Rome Press
Even Iga Swiatek was asked the same thing in her interview earlier in the day. She also had a similar answer to Nadal’s, but covered the same point of the hectic schedules and frequent changes causing injuries.
Rafael Nadal hopes to meet Sinner and Alcaraz at the French Open
Spanish maestro Rafael Nadal is all set to play in his third tournament in a row. Continuing the interview about Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the 22-time singles Grand Slam champion wished the youngster a speedy recovery and hoped to see the youngsters at the French Open.
That's it. I wish him (Sinner), and Carlos of course, all the best, and I wish to meet them in Roland Garros. said Rafael Nadal
After returning to the Barcelona Open, the Spaniard played the Madrid Open as well in one stretch. He even played an improved tennis in Madrid before losing to Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round. Nadal will look to make the most out of the Italian Open challenge, a tournament where he is a ten-time winner.
More must-reads: