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Rafael Nadal is set to drop out of the top 100 of the ATP rankings for the first time since 2003 following his withdrawal from the 2023 French Open. The 14-time French Open champion had 2000 points to defend at the tournament this year, having lifted the title in 2022.
The Majorcan has not competed on the ATP tour since the 2023 Australian Open in January, where he suffered an injury to the iliopsoas muscle of his left leg.
The King of Clay held a press conference at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Majorca, Spain, to announce his withdrawal from the Clay Slam and an extended break from tennis on Thursday, May 18.
The 36-year-old said he is not fit enough to compete at the Roland Garros and would like to take time to recover.
"Today I'm still in a position that I am not able to feel myself ready to compete at the standards that I need to be [at] to play a Roland Garros. I am not the guy that is going to be at Roland Garros and just try to be there and put myself in a position that I don't like to be [in],” said the 36-year-old.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion broke into the top 100 and top 50 of the ATP rankings as a 16-year-old in 2003, finishing the year ranked World No. 49 and picking up two challenger titles.
Currently, Nadal is ranked World No. 14 with 2535 points. However, he will lose 2000 points after pulling out of the tournament. As a result, the Spaniard will slip to No. 116 in the updated ranking at the end of the competition.
The Majoracan has not announced his retirement yet and hopes to return to the ATP tour in 2024 to say goodbye to his favorite tournaments.
'I Don't Think I Deserve To End Like This' - Rafael Nadal
While there is a lot of discussion on his retirement, Rafael Nadal has stated that he would like to end his career on his own terms. In the presser he conducted on May 18, the Spaniard declared he would not end his career in a press conference, as he has worked hard throughout his entire career.
"I don't like the word but I feel strong enough to say it: I don't think I deserve to end like this,” said Nadal. “I’ve worked hard enough throughout my career for my end not to be in a press conference.”
The King of Clay also stated that 2024 would probably be the last year of his career and expressed a desire to compete at the highest level.
“I’m going to try to make my last year not just a party, I'm going to try to compete at the highest level, give myself the option to try to compete and win tournaments on this clay tour. The reality is that we'll have to wait for that,” he added.
It remains to be seen when the former World No. 1 will return to the ATP tour, as he has stated that he will be back on the court when his body permits.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
