In Brazil, Nadal rules out retirement and promotes clinic with fans for R$ 22,000

by

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, number 2 in the ATP ranking, ruled out this Saturday (26) the possibility of retiring and said that at the end of this year he is already starting to prepare for the 2023 season on the world tour.

Despite having won a Grand Slam this year, the French Open in June, Nadal had an abdominal injury that forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon the following month.

At the age of 36, he is also preparing to be a father, which could be a factor for him to leave the courts.

“When you win a Grand Slam, you don’t think about retiring”, said the tennis player, during a conversation with journalists this Saturday afternoon in Belo Horizonte, where he is playing an exhibition match, at the Mineirinho gym, with a former student of his academy. , the Norwegian Casper Ruud, number 3 in the world.

Ruud, 23, is a rising tennis player who has played in two Grand Slam finals this year. He was defeated by Nadal at Roland Garros and fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, currently number 1 in the world, at the US Open.

Tickets for the match in Belo Horizonte were priced at up to R$8,495, including access to the VIP area and exclusive lunch. There was also a clinic for 20 fans for R$22,400.

The passage through the capital of Minas Gerais is part of a tour of Latin America in confrontations with the number 3 that also involves interviews and lunches with fans. “I’m going to follow the games in Latin America and then prepare myself as best I can for 2023,” said Nadal.

About his son, he said he has a family and a team that help him at all times in his career.

“It’s a different pressure to know that a person depends on you, but that’s the same for everyone who has children. There’s nothing different. In that sense we’re exactly the same.

The Spaniard also spoke about tennis in Brazil. “The country has a very important history in tennis. I feel that it has had good times and not so good times. Brazil has potential, and the events that are held create interest and help children to want to play tennis more.”

Gustavo Kuerten, the greatest Brazilian tennis player, won Roland Garros three times. In doubles, Bruno Soares and Marcelo Melo also had good results in partnerships with foreigners. Soares, who announced his retirement at this year’s US Open, also says goodbye to the courts this Saturday night, also at Mineirinho.

Nadal also spoke about football and the World Cup. He said that Brazil is one of the favorites for the World Cup in Qatar and that Spain is a young team.

“Brazil has a team with the best players and an incredible history in football.” About being in the country during a World Cup, he said that both here and in Spain it is impossible to forget football.

“In Brazil, football is a religion, but the country has also shown great appreciation for tennis. We are at an event here and the reception was incredible”, he said.

A friend of Ronaldo, the Spaniard said that he was there and that “very amusing” stories are told. And they also talk about Cruzeiro and Valladolid, the football teams acquired by the former shirt number 9.

“Cruzeiro is a historic team within the world of football, especially in Brazil, but everyone in Europe also knows the team,” he said.

Before passing through Belo Horizonte, Nadal and Ruud faced each other in an exhibition match in Buenos Aires, with the Spaniard winning by 2 sets to 0, partials of 7/6 (10-8) and 6/2. After the capital of Minas Gerais, the tennis players will also perform in Quito, Bogotá and Mexico City.

You May Also Like

Recommended for you