Mats Wilander said he hopes Rafael Nadal gets to walk away from the sport on his own terms and while he is healthy after the Spaniard suffered another injury setback that ruled him out of the Australian Open. Nadal was set to feature at the first Grand Slam of the year but sustained a micro tear on a muscle during his third-round defeat to Jordan Thompson at the Brisbane International.
Eurosport expert Mats Wilander believes Rafael Nadal is not only one of the game’s all-time greats but he also described the Spaniard as “maybe the most important tennis player of all time”.
Nadal was part of one of the most heralded eras of any sport as he, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic took tennis to new heights.
Their rivalry has seen them share 66 Grand Slams between them and counting, but time waits for no-one.
Federer has already retired after he was unable to recover from a freak knee injury sustained away from the court, while Nadal’s list of physical ailments throughout his career is long and has been well documented.
The 37-year-old missed the majority of 2023 due to a hip flexor issue that required surgery, before announcing he would be fit to return for this year’s Australian Open.
However, he was forced to withdraw after suffering a small tear on a muscle during his third-round defeat to Jordan Thompson at the Brisbane International.
It sparked fresh concerns that we may have seen the last of Nadal – who admitted that 2024 could be his last year on tour – as an athlete who is able to compete at the highest level over five sets for the duration of the sport’s marquee events.
But whatever happens, Wilander hopes the 37-year-old gets to walk away on his own terms like the legends before him that have already hung up their racquets.
“We want him to be able to say farewell, of course. I’m not really sure what that farewell is supposed to look like,” Wilander said.
“Obviously, we had maybe one of the greatest farewells ever with Roger Federer at the Laver Cup in the O2 Arena. It wasn’t unexpected that he was eventually going to say farewell but it wasn’t a very serious day of tennis.
“He got to play doubles with Rafa Nadal, he lost against the American team and it was just a happy day, even though Federer lost. It was on his terms in a way. Yes, he was injured, but he just got older.
