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Tennis prodigy Arthur Fils hopes he can face his idol Rafael Nadal at least once before the latter hangs up his racket. The Frenchman would also like to see the Spanish legend add to his 22 Grand Slam tally.
Last week, Nadal announced his withdrawal from the upcoming French Open, saying that he was yet to recover from a hip injury that he suffered at the 2023 Australian Open. This will be the first time since 2004 that the former World No. 1 will not play at Roland Garros, his favorite tournament. He has won the championship a record 14 times in 18 attempts.
Fils began his quest for a maiden ATP singles title at the 2023 Lyon Open with a thumping win (6-3, 6-2) over China's Zhizhen Zhang on Monday, May 22. In a press conference after the match, the 18-year-old said that it was a "shame" that the Mallorcan was not playing in Paris but remained hopeful of facing his hero next year.
"Obviously, I think it's a shame that Rafa won't be at Roland Garros," Fils said. "But that doesn't mean I won't have the opportunity to play him, maybe next year. In any case, I hope that he will win a few more Grand Slam tournaments."
At the 2023 Open Sud de France in February, Fils remarked that while he idolized Roger Federer while growing up, he eventually started appreciating Nadal, especially for his will to fight till the end.
"My idol was Roger but the more we grow up, the more we appreciate watching Rafa play, his fighting spirit, his game" Fils said.
Rafael Nadal might retire from professional tennis in 2024
Rafael Nadal held a press conference last week to officially withdraw from the 2023 French Open. However, he made it clear that he wasn't retiring yet and would like to bow out on his own terms, probably in 2024.
"My ambition is to try to stop to give myself an opportunity to enjoy next year, that’s probably going to be my last year on the professional tour," he said.
"My idea, my motivation is to try to say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important for me in my career and just enjoy being competitive and enjoy being on the court, which today is not possible,” he added.
The Spaniard's news has given hope to other players on the tour for the 2023 Roland Garros, with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz becoming the leading favorites to win the title.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
