30 July,2024 07:47 AM IST | Paris | AP
Rafael Nadal. Pic/AFP
On the clay court where he won 14 French Open titles, Rafael Nadal likely bid adieu to Roland Garros on Day 3 of the Paris Olympics.
Nadal was feted Monday by a rowdy crowd as he met Novak Djokovic in the second round of the men's tennis tournament for a record 60th " and probably final " time.
The Spaniard wouldn't say if he plans to retire after the Olympics, but his 6-1, 6-4 loss to Djokovic showed just how diminished his game has become at age 38. The chants of "Ra-fa! Ra-fa!" began as soon as Nadal walked on the court and even helped him win four consecutive games in the second set, including a forehand winner to break to make it 4-all.
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After the defeat, the two-time Olympic champion was weary of being asked about his future. He's still playing at the Olympics, pairing with Carlos Alcaraz in doubles for Spain, and what comes next he does not know.
"I cannot live every single day with the feeling that it's going to be, or not going to be, my last match. I come here, I try my best, I play. And when I decide to stop playing, or when I decide to keep going, I will let you know. I don't know," Nadal said.
"If I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or physically I am not " ready to keep going, I will stop, and I will let you know."
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