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Rafael Nadal to retire after this season' Davis Cup Finals [Update at Post#152]

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Shanghai (AFP) - Rafael Nadal was confirmed as the new world number one in the latest ATP tennis rankings published on Monday, pushing Novak Djokovic to second as Roger Federer drops to seventh.

Nadal has 11,160 points, just 40 ahead of Djokovic, who lost his grip on the top spot despite defeating the Mallorcan to win the China Open on Sunday.

Britain's Andy Murray, currently recuperating from back surgery, is third in the revised rankings but Swiss great Federer sinks one place from sixth to seventh.

Spain's David Ferrer remains at number four, just 185 points off Murray's tally, while Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro moves up two places to fifth after winning the Japan Open.

Since returning in February after seven months out with a left knee injury, Nadal, 27, has won 10 titles, including the French Open and US Open.

Until Sunday's loss to Djokovic, he had been unbeaten since Wimbledon, where he was a shock first-round loser to Belgium's Steve Darcis.

Nadal has previously had two stints at the summit of men’s tennis. He first became number one in August 2008 and stayed there for 46 weeks, regaining top spot in June 2010 and adding 56 weeks to his tally.

ATP world rankings

1 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 11,160 (+1)

2 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 11,120 (-1)

3 Murray, Andy (GBR) 6,895

4 Ferrer, David (ESP) 6,710

5 Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG) 4,925 (+2)

6 Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 4,610 (-1)

7 Federer, Roger (SUI) 4,515 (-1)

8 Wawrinka, Stanislas (SUI) 3,150 (+1)

9 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 3,115 (-1 0

10 Gasquet, Richard (FRA) 3,095

11 Raonic, Milos (CAN) 2,815

12 Haas, Tommy (GER) 2,355

13 Isner, John (USA) 2,115 (+3)

14 Simon, Gilles (FRA) 2,095

15 Janowicz, Jerzy (POL) 2,060

16 Almagro, Nicolas (ESP) 2,030 (+1)

17 Fognini, Fabio (ITA) 1,885 (+2)

18 Nishikori, Kei (JPN) 1,840 (-5)

19 Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 1,830 (-1)

20 Anderson, Kevin (RSA) 1,775 (+1)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nadal-rises-world-no-1-federer-drops-152639307--ten.html
 
thing is can nadal hold onto these points gained from the hardcourt season in nxt yr?, remember last yr he missed 7months (all the hardcourt season he missed).

this yr he won all the hardcourts he entered this yr except Beijing - of the highlights i watched he miss hit so many shots, especially on his forehand - played like he was federer.

Del potro boosted his london hopes, as murray recovering from his back surgery i can easily see him playing in london.


supposedly federer will again be trying out a new racket (bigger headsize, rumoured 98sq inch) he briefly did this in the american hardcourts but he quickly changed back to a 90
 
The King is back to where he belongs. He has had a fantastic 2013 so far
 
federer lost to monfis - getting embarrassing now, make sure you retire end of this yr
 
del potro 5-1 up against nadal,

hes playing good, bur thrs something about nadal - looking weird

edit 1st set del 6-2
 
6-2 6-4 potro,too powerful for nadal,

hes got djokovic in final, havent seen djok play past 2weeks but i believe he will beat potro, djok backhand will contain potro power strokes, thus making the points too long for potro.

my prediction 6-4, 6-3 djok
 
Djoko will be a difficult contender in the finals. But I expect Potro's powers stroke ahead of Djoko in hard courts
 
It's disappointing that Federer has dropped so low down the rankings, but hopefully he'll be back with a bang.
 
1set del potro seemed he was lost, 2nd set potro came out with some real power- also his serve percentage increased dramatically, djok was complaining about something-looked like he was consistently loosing his balance.
3rd set great dual, but djoko athleticism wins it - his backhand down the line is simply awesome- so close to the line.

O yeh federer - ranked 8th now 45points below fellow swiss wawrinka and only 200 points ahead of tsonga in 9th & 300 ahead of gasquet in 10th

*News federer parts way with annacone - was due/ surprised it wasn't announced after U.S open, you can't serve and volley in today's game- courts are too slow for it to be successful.

Time to go back to plan A- hire Peter Lungdren

Next match basel open, del potro previous champion
 
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Saw the article. Had me scrambling to the tennis foruns and Sky Sports. Well played larkay!
 
Lol you scared me. I'm not even a Nadal fan but still I can't imagine tennis without him. I grew up watching him and Federer.
 
Rafael Nadal defends himself after attending Atletico game and being presented with a shirt

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rafael Nadal has defended himself after attending a game of Real Madrid's bitter rivals Atletico and being presented with a shirt 👉👉👉 <a href="https://t.co/gAnzzWpCR4">https://t.co/gAnzzWpCR4</a> <a href="https://t.co/eUihn9u0HG">pic.twitter.com/eUihn9u0HG</a></p>— Sky Sports Tennis 🎾 (@SkySportsTennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsTennis/status/993578748631973890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Rafael Nadal moved a step closer to setting an ATP record as he eased into the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open with a straight-set victory over Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

Nadal, 32, is bidding to become the first player to win the same event 12 times and breezed through this quarter-final match, winning 7-5 7-5.

The former world number one will next face 2017 finalist Dominic Thiem.

"I'm feeling better in my game," said the Spaniard.

"I hope to keep improving here at home," added Nadal, who last week suffered a shock semi-final defeat to Italian Fabio Fognini at the Monte Carlo Masters - an event he has also won 11 times.

Nadal also had a struggle in the early rounds in Barcelona, losing a set at the event for the first time in four years in his win over Leonardo Mayer on Wednesday.

Austrian Thiem also had a comfortable passage into the semi-finals, overcoming Argentine Guido Pella 7-5, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Japan's two-time champion Kei Nishikori beat Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4 7-5 to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for the fourth time.

Nishikori will take on Russian Daniil Medvedev on Saturday after the seventh seed defeated lucky loser Nicolas Jarry of Chile 6-3 6-4.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/48074076
 
Would've been a Tennis legend (which he still is) with 25 Grand Slams if it wasn't for those injuries. One of the best ever athlete on the face of this earth!
 
https://www.sport24.co.za/Tennis/AT...-stunned-by-thiem-in-barcelona-semis-20190427

Barcelona - Dominic Thiem stunned Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday at the Barcelona Open to knock the Spaniard out in the semi-finals of his home event.

Thiem, beaten by Nadal in last year's French Open final as well as the 2017 final in Barcelona, will play on Sunday against Daniil Medvedev for the title. The Russian beat two-time champion Kei Nishikori 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in their semi-final.

Nadal's defeat comes just a week after he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters where he is also an 11-time champion.
 
Rafael Nadal says winning his 12th French Open is extra special after a turbulent year where he considered taking an extended break because of injury problems.

Nadal, 33, played just three events in 2019 prior to the clay-court season.

But it ended with a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 win over Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem in Sunday's final at Roland Garros.

"I've had too many issues. So that makes these last few weeks very, very special," he said.

"One possibility was to stop for a while and recover my body.

"And the other was to drastically change my attitude and my mentality.

"I was able to change and fight for every small improvement that I was able to make."

World number two Nadal has been hampered by injury problems over the past two seasons, pulling out of 10 tournaments last year because of a combination of hip, knee, stomach and ankle problems.

After retiring from his US Open semi-final against Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in September with a knee problem, Nadal did not play for the rest of the year.

The Spaniard had ankle surgery in November, returning at the Australian Open in January when he lost in straight sets in the final to world number one Novak Djokovic.

He did not play again until March at Indian Wells, where he was forced to pull out before his semi-final against Roger Federer with another knee problem.

A five-week break leading up to the clay-court season followed, with Nadal reaching the semi-finals in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.

That meant he did not win a tour title in 2019 until the Italian Open - the final Masters 1,000 tournament before Roland Garros.

"After Indian Wells, as I said couple of times, mentally I was down," he said. "I lost a little bit of energy, because I had too many issues in a row.

"It is tough when you receive one and then another.

"Mentally I was not enjoying things. I was too worried about my health and, being honest, I was being too negative.

"After the first round in Barcelona, I was able to stay alone for a couple of hours in the room and think about what's going on, what I need to do. And since that first match in Barcelona, I think things have been improving every single day."

His coach Carlos Moya says his fellow Mallorcan has shown he is "mentally a genius" after battling through his injury troubles to triumph again at Roland Garros.

"It's been the toughest period for sure since I've been there. It was really hard. He really had to push himself to the limit to be back on the court, to practise, to be motivated," said Moya, who linked up with Nadal in 2017.

"He had an unbelievable attitude in those bad moments and that's what took him to victory today."

Nadal beats Thiem to win French open title
Relive Nadal's French Open final win
'You can't be frustrated if your neighbour has a bigger house'
A table showing who has won the most men's Grand Slams: Federer 20, Nadal 18, Djokovic 15, Sampras 14, Emerson 12
Rafael Nadal has closed to within two of Roger Federer in the tally of men's Grand Slam singles titles
Nadal's victory over Thiem on the Paris clay is his 18th major title, moving him within two of long-time rival Roger Federer's all-time men's singles record.

But Nadal has again said catching the Swiss is not on his mind.

"If I catch Roger or not, I am not very worried about it," he said.

"You can't be frustrated all the time because the neighbour has a bigger house than you, or a bigger TV, or a better garden.

"That's not the way that I see the life.

"If, by the end of my career, I am able to win a couple of more Grand Slams and be closer to Roger, it will be unbelievable.

"I am going to try my best to keep enjoying tennis, giving myself chances to compete at the highest level and we will see what happens."

Thiem believes he is on the right path towards a Grand Slam title, despite again falling to Nadal in his second major final.

The 25-year-old Austrian lost in straight sets to the Spaniard in last year's Roland Garros showpiece.

He has been reaping the rewards of his partnership with new coach Nicolas Massu, who replaced his childhood coach Gunter Bresnik earlier this year.

Thiem won his first Masters 1,000 title in March - the tier of tournaments behind the Slams - by beating Roger Federer in the Indian Wells final, and then claimed the Barcelona Open title in April, having defeated Nadal in the semi-finals.

"Even though I didn't win this tournament, two finals in a row, it's nice," he said after his defeat on the Paris clay.

"I think that I have developed my game. I was also closer than last year in the final. So I'm on the right way.

"I failed today, but my goal and my dream is still to win this tournament or to win a Grand Slam tournament."

Thiem matched Nadal for large parts of an intense opening set, breaking for a 3-2 lead before the Spaniard fought back to win the final four games.

Thiem responded by winning the second set before Nadal took control.

"He played outstanding because especially in the first two sets I played very good tennis," the Austrian said.

"What he was performing I think is unbelievable.

"I played very good the first two sets, and then I had a little drop, which is against most of the players not that bad.

"But he took the chance and stepped right on me."

Thiem had 24 hours fewer than Nadal to prepare after his weather-delayed semi-final against Djokovic finished on Saturday afternoon.

He had also played on four consecutive days because his quarter-final against Russian 10th seed Karen Khachanov was pushed back to Thursday after rain led to play being cancelled on Wednesday.

"I didn't feel tired in the match," he said.

"But at the same time, a match like yesterday, beating Novak over two days with all the interruption, it leaves traces on the body and also on the mind. That's 100%."

Reaction to Nadal's 12th title
Women's doubles champion and Thiem's girlfriend Kristina Mladenovic: "12th Roland Garros titles is absolutely unreal! Very proud to see Domi standing next to this legend of our sport! Your turn is coming soon..."

Fifteen-time golf major winner Tiger Woods: "The King of Clay does not like to share his wealth. Congrats Rafael Nadal on #12!"

Former world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt: "I see it but I don't believe it... someone can win 12 Roland Garros singles titles. Rafael Nadal what a performance!"

Eleven-time Grand Slam singles champion Rod Laver: "Simply magnificent Rafael Nadal. Winning a grand slam isn't easy. Winning 12 French titles is beyond belief. Congratulations King of Clay!"

Former world number one and 12-time Grand Slam singles champion Billie Jean King: "There will never be another Nadal. Congratulations to Rafael Nadal on an incredible 12th French Open win. A genius on clay, with a tremendous work ethic, he's a role model both on and off the court. Well done!"

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/48576056
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">He is relentless. He is remarkable.<a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> returns to the top. <a href="https://t.co/Akx2L27dgI">pic.twitter.com/Akx2L27dgI</a></p>— ATP Tour (@atptour) <a href="https://twitter.com/atptour/status/1191263813863137280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
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2019 Nitto ATP Finals
Venue: O2 Arena, London Dates: 10-17 November
Coverage: Watch live coverage of one match per day on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer and online; Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra; Live text on selected matches on the BBC Sport website and app. Click here for Live Guide.
Rafael Nadal is "confident" of being fit to play - and battle Novak Djokovic for the number one ranking - when the ATP Finals start on Sunday.

Nadal, 33, pulled out of the Paris Masters last week with a stomach injury but has travelled to London.

The Spaniard overtook Djokovic at the top of the rankings this week but could lose his position as year-end number one to the Serb at the O2 Arena.

Nadal is confident of playing a "good level" in his first match on Monday.

"If we were thinking we would not be able to play, we would probably not be here," he told BBC Sport.

Nadal, who has never won the season-ending championships, meets defending champion Alexander Zverev on Monday but said he only started serving "very slowly" on Thursday following the injury.

"I am confident that I can be very competitive - but of course it's a tournament in which you will face the top guys from the beginning, so you need to be 100% ready," the 19-time Grand Slam champion said.

"But I really hope I will be able to serve every single day a little better and my hope is to be serving normally on Sunday."

Nadal did not play in last year's ATP Finals because of injury and pulled out of the 2017 event with a knee problem after one match.

If he wins the title, he is guaranteed to finish the year as number one - but otherwise, the door could be open for Djokovic.

The Serb will finish the year as number one if he wins the tournament and Nadal does not reach the semi-finals.

Alternatively, if the Spaniard does not play, or fails to win a round-robin match, Djokovic will overtake him if he wins two group-stage matches and reaches the final.

The Serb said ending the year as number one is among the "two biggest achievements" for a player, along with winning a Grand Slam.

"At this stage of my career, in terms of goals and achievements obviously that's right at the top," he said.

Djokovic, who could equal both Pete Sampras' record of six year-end number one finishes and Roger Federer's tally of six ATP Finals title wins, plays the first singles match on Sunday against Italian eighth seed Matteo Berrettini at 14:00 GMT.

The tournament features the top eight players of the year who are split into two groups, each playing a round-robin format. The top two in each group progress to the semi-finals.

Djokovic has been drawn in Bjorn Borg Group alongside Federer.

It means they will meet for the first time since Djokovic beat the 20-time Grand Slam winner in a tie-break in July in the longest Wimbledon singles final in history.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/50348031.
 
Rafael Nadal's bid to end the year as world number one faltered with a straight-set loss to defending champion Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals.

The Spaniard, a fitness doubt before the season-ending event in London with an abdominal injury, was beaten 6-2 6-4 in their opening round-robin match.

Nadal, who has not completed a tournament since September's US Open, was out of sorts and error prone.

Earlier, sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat fellow debutant Daniil Medvedev.

The Greek 21-year-old beat the Russian 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 at the O2 Arena.

Novak Djokovic, who can overtake Nadal at the top of the world rankings this week, leads the other group after winning on Sunday.

The top two players in each group after the round-robin stage progress to the semi-finals on Saturday.

The men's season-ending event, which is taking place in London for the penultimate year, features the top eight players of the year.

Nadal had never lost to Zverev in five previous meetings but against the German on Monday he was comprehensively outplayed.

The Spaniard had not completed a tournament since September's US Open, withdrawing from Shanghai (left hand) and the Paris semi-finals (abdominal), and he had only started serving "very slowly" on Thursday.

He was broken in the fifth game of the first set, netting a routine forehand, and then lost the next five games as 22-year-old Zverev took charge with Nadal failing to carve out a single break point in the entire match.

The Spanish 19-time Grand Slam champion refused to blame injury for a below-par performance, where he managed 13 winners compared to 29 for Zverev, and said he had not been in any pain.

"The physical issue was not an excuse at all," he said. "The only excuse is I was not good enough tonight.

"What really matters is I need to play much better in two days. That's the only thing. We knew that it was going to be tough, because the period of time since the injury until today is very short, but we are here trying."

Nadal has never won the end-of-season showpiece, with injuries often plaguing his attempts. He did not play last year and pulled out after his first match in 2017, with the Spaniard having been unable to participate fully in seven editions of the event.

Djokovic will finish the year as world number one if he wins the tournament and Nadal does not reach the semi-finals.

Alternatively, if the Spaniard fails to win a round-robin match, the Serb will overtake him if he wins two group-stage matches and reaches the final.

Seventh seed Zverev has now beaten Roger Federer, Djokovic and Nadal in consecutive matches at the venue, where last year he claimed the biggest title of his career.

Since stunning Djokovic in last year's final, the German has won just one title and failed to make deep runs at the Grand Slams - with his best showing a French Open quarter-final.

"It is obviously great," he said. "Everyone knows how much I have struggled the whole season. It means so much to be playing here again where I won my biggest title last season. It means everything to me."

Tsitsipas, the youngest player in the tournament, had lost all five of his previous meetings with US Open runner-up Medvedev and the pair have had a difficult relationship since a row over a net cord in Miami last year.

Tsitsipas then called the Russian's playing style "boring" after a defeat at the Shanghai Masters last month.

The pair are two of the most highly-rated young players in the game - two of four singles players aged 24 or under at this year's championships - but Tsitsipas was rewarded for being the more aggressive of the two players in a match that featured just one break of serve.

Asked whether beating Medvedev meant extra to him, the Greek said: "It means more than extra.

"It's a victory that I've craved for a long time now and it's great that it came in this moment.

"Our chemistry definitely isn't the best that you can find on the tour. It just happens with people that it's not that you can just like everyone.

"It's not that I hate him. I guess, as he said, we will not go to dinner together."

There were no breaks in the first set but Tsitsipas played better in the tie-break, earning the crucial mini-break to move 6-5 ahead by winning a gruelling point at the net with a volley.

The second set was similarly tight but Tsitsipas remained immaculate on serve - he did not face a break point in the match - and eventually broke serve to go 5-4 in front, helped by the Russian choosing not to volley a return at 30-30 that landed in.

Tsitsipas served out the match in the following game, and celebrated enthusiastically after the final point as he moved top of the early group table.

Tsitsipas, who beat Federer en route to the semi-finals of this year's Australian Open, won the Next Gen event a year ago - the season-ending tournament for players aged 21 or under.

He said he had "goosebumps" when making his debut in London.

"I watched this event for the first time in 2010, I used to watch on TV dreaming of potentially playing on these courts," he said.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/50378386.
 
Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the semi-finals of the ATP Finals, while Rafael Nadal produced a stunning comeback to boost his hopes of joining him.

Tsitsipas, 21, making his debut at the event, dominated defending champion Alexander Zverev in a 6-3 6-2 win.

Earlier, Nadal fought back from 5-1 down in the deciding set and saved a match point to beat fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4).

The Spaniard must beat Tsitsipas on Friday to have a chance of advancing.

Nadal, who is also looking to keep hold of the world number one ranking, could have been eliminated on Wednesday had he lost and his fate is still not in his own hands as he also needs Medvedev to beat Zverev in their match on Friday.

Nadal, 33, admitted he got "super lucky" to beat the Russian.

"This match is one of those that one [time] out of 1,000 you win," Nadal said.

Nadal shows trademark fighting spirit

The last meeting between Nadal and 23-year-old Medvedev was September's US Open final, which the Spaniard won in five sets, and this match was almost as thrilling.

Both players looked beaten at times, Medvedev when he was distracted while he was losing the second set and Nadal when a double-break down in the decider.

Errors from Nadal and a resurgence by Medvedev at the start of the third set led to the Russian racing into a 4-0 lead.

He had two break points for 5-0, and match point two games later, but 19-time Grand Slam champion Nadal showed all of his trademark fighting spirit, roared on by the crowd at London's O2 Arena.

As Nadal clawed his way back, Medvedev lost focus again, sarcastically giving a thumbs-up to his box as games slipped away.

After losing five successive games, the Russian settled himself to force a tie-break and was on serve at 4-5 in the breaker before he dragged a short forehand wide to give Nadal a mini-break and match point.

Another gruelling rally followed but a Medvedev shot that was originally called in was ruled out by Hawk-Eye to hand Nadal victory after two hours 49 minutes.

Medvedev can still qualify for the last four if he beats Zverev in two sets on Friday and Tsitsipas beats Nadal.

Tsitsipas dominates Zverev

Tsitsipas is the youngest player at this year's ATP Finals, competing just a year after he won the NextGen tournament - the season-ending event for players aged 21 or under - but he produced a clinical, mature display to see off Zverev.

The pair were evenly matched in the first set until the Australian Open semi-finalist pounced when Zverev's level dropped at 4-3, breaking serve and then closing out the match with his third game in a row.

Tsitsipas' level increased further in the second set, hitting a backhand winner to bring up break point in the first game and then clinching it at the net after another well constructed point.

He broke again for 5-1 lead soon after with more immaculate tennis and even admitted afterwards he was "surprised" by his performance.

"I did everything right and once again it was not just me out there but a whole bunch of excited people who came to support me," he said, referencing the strong support he received at the O2 Arena.

Zverev, meanwhile, was unable to find the high level that helped him sweep aside Nadal 6-2 6-4 on Monday.

The German lost his way badly after being broken in the first set and displayed negative body language on court.

He will still progress at Nadal's expense if he beats Medvedev on Friday.

Who needs what to reach semi-finals?
Nadal will progress if:

He beats Tsitsipas and Medvedev beats Zverev.
Zverev will progress if:

He beats Medvedev.
The German will also go through if he loses to Medvedev in three sets and Tsitsipas beats Nadal.
Medvedev will progress if:

He beats Zverev in two sets and Tsitsipas beats Nadal.
Number one ranking permutations
Nadal's win means even if the Spaniard does not qualify for the semi-finals, Novak Djokovic will have to win the tournament to overtake him as year-end world number one.

Nadal can also secure the position at the top of the rankings if he wins his final group match and makes the final, regardless of Djokovic's results.

The Serb plays Roger Federer on Thursday in Group Bjorn Borg with the winner progressing to the last four and the loser eliminated.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/50410791.
 
Rafael Nadal’s first two titles at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC (2005, 2013) were clinched on red clay. On Saturday, the top-seeded Spaniard completed his Acapulco hat trick on a hard court with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory against American Taylor Fritz.

”I couldn’t be happier. I played a great event from the beginning to the end,” Nadal said. “Acapulco was the first big title that I won in my career, so to be able to stay here after 15 years is amazing. I can’t thank enough the people who make me feel at home every single time."

Nadal secured his 85th tour-level singles title and his first of the season. He stormed through the draw without dropping a set and lost an average of five games per match. Nadal moved to 20-2 in Acapulco, joining David Ferrer and Thomas Muster as the only players to win at least three singles titles at this event.

The 33-year-old proved to be particularly dangerous this week in return games. He led the tournament in return games won (54%, 22 of 41) and converted 22 of 35 break points (63%).

”After not competing since Australia, it’s an important week for me and an important moment,” Nadal said. “I played solid, with the right intensity and the right passion, and my forehand worked well.

“This title doesn’t mean that I will have a great season. It means another good start of the season for me. It gives me confidence, allows me to be in a privileged position in the ATP Race [To London]. At the end of the day, I’m still competing for these feelings that I am having right now. Regardless of the result, I am always happy after playing here. Now imagine how I am after getting the title!”

Despite the loss, Fritz can be pleased with reaching his fifth ATP Tour final (1-4) and his first at an ATP 500 event. He and 2017 champion Sam Querrey are the only Americans to reach the singles final in tournament history. The 22-year-old will move to a new career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 24 on Monday.

”He’s one of the best players to ever play the game and he showed me why that is tonight,” Fritz said. “This is one of my favourite tournaments to come to every year. I’m just glad that I could have a good week at one of my favourite events. I felt a lot of love all week.

"You always wish you could win, but I still have to take positives out of this week. It was an honour to step on the court with Rafa. I've played Roger and Novak, the other two people I watched when I was a kid. To play with Rafa, who I've watched since I was a kid, it's pretty crazy when you step back to think about it."

Both players exchanged service holds throughout most of the first set. But while Nadal exhibited flawless serving and only dropped three points on serve during the set (20/23), Fritz found himself battling in nearly all of his service games.

With Fritz serving at 3-4, the American finally caved to Nadal’s relentless pressure. As the Spaniard scampered around the baseline and tracked down balls that would be winners against most players, Fritz began to overcook his shots. He hit a pair of forehand errors to hand Nadal a break and the top seed clinched the early advantage in the next game with a forehand winner.

Nadal continued to pour it on in the second set, breaking Fritz at 2-2 as the American’s frustrations began to boil over. The 22-year-old earned his lone opportunity on Nadal’s serve with a break point in the next game, but it was promptly removed by the Spaniard with a forehand winner.

Another aggressive forehand from Nadal at 4-2 gave him an insurance break and a big serve on his first championship point ended play after 75 minutes. The top seed finished the night with 14 winners to just eight unforced errors.

Nadal earned 500 FedEx ATP Rankings points and $372,785. Fritz picked up 300 points and $187,110.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/nadal-fritz-acapulco-2020-final
 
20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, who suffered only his third defeat in French Open at the hands of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, has decided to pull out of Wimbledon 2021 as well as Tokyo Olympics.

In a statement on social media, Nadal said, "Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision. The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy, that is to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for those professional and personal goals at the maximum level of competition."

https://www.timesnownews.com/sports...n-and-tokyo-olympics-to-prolong-career/772078
 
Sad to see Nadal's career winding down now. Doubt he'll ever play Wimbledon again, considering it's always so soon after Roland Garros.
 
Spain’s Rafa Nadal said he cannot guarantee he will make the trip to Melbourne for next month’s Australian Open after returning to action at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

The 20-times Grand Slam champion’s comeback at the exhibition event — his first tournament appearance since the Citi Open in Washington in August — ended in two close defeats by Andy Murray and Denis Shapovalov. Nadal, 35, spent four months on the sidelines with a foot injury.

He was knocked out at Roland Garros in the semi-finals and was forced to pull out of Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics and the U.S. Open.”The idea is to go there and try my best there in Australia… Being 100% honest, I can’t guarantee it,” Nadal said.

“I need to speak with my team.”It’s more than six months since the last real official match. Things are difficult and I accept that… I was able to compete in both matches and even had my chances, so if we put that in perspective it’s a very positive thing.”

I went through this process, unfortunately, a lot of times in my tennis career but I need to practice and I need to be healthy enough to go through this process.

If that happens, I’m confident that I will be back.”World number six Nadal said he would not have returned to tennis if he did not feel he was competitive enough to challenge for the biggest titles in the sport.

“I am not playing at all for money or just for fun, I am playing to keep achieving goals or at least to enjoy the process to try to achieve my goals,” he added.”If then you don’t achieve, it’s fine, but the motivation and the passion is still there.”The Australian Open begins on Jan. 17.

https://indianexpress.com/article/s...t-over-australian-open-participation-7680013/
 
(CNN)Rafael Nadal has tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving back in Spain from Abu Dhabi, the 20-time grand slam champion said on Monday.

Nadal, who didn't confirm the specific variant of Covid-19, had been making his comeback from injury in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi last week.

It was Nadal's first tournament appearance since the Citi Open in Washington in August.

In a Twitter thread, the 35-year-old said he had tested positive for the virus following a PCR test taken on arrival back in Spain.

Nadal added that he had tested negative at all times when he was in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi and had last tested negative on Friday.

"I am experiencing some unpleasant moments but I hope that I will improve little by little. I am now confined at home and have informed those people who have been in contact with me of the result," Nadal wrote.

"As a result of the situation I have to have complete flexibility with my calendar and will be analysing my options depending on my progress. I will keep you informed of any decision about my future tournaments," Nadal added.

The first grand slam of the 2022 season is the Australian Open, which starts on January 17.
 
Australian Open: Rafael Nadal receives preferential treatment, says Denis Shapovalov

Rafael Nadal is "100%" given preferential treatment by umpires, claimed Denis Shapovalov after his defeat by the Spaniard in their Australian Open quarter-final.

Shapovalov was unhappy with the amount of time he thought Nadal was taking between points and twice complained to umpire Carlos Bernardes.

"I think it's unfair how much Rafa is getting away with," said Shapovalov.

In reply, 35-year-old Nadal said: "I believe he is wrong in this case."

Shapovalov, 22, lost in five sets to 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal at Melbourne Park on Tuesday, having fought back to level after going two sets down.

At the start of the second set, Shapovalov asked Bernardes to give a time violation to the sixth seed.

When the official did not see fit to do so, Shapovalov shouted: "You guys are all corrupt."

In his post-match news conference, 14th seed Shapovalov said he "misspoke" during the match with emotions riding high but still stood by the wider point.

Players are allowed 25 seconds between points and two minutes between sets, all timed by a shot clock.

Asked whether he thinks Nadal receives preferential treatment, Shapovalov said: "Of course - 100% he does, 100%. Every other match that I have played, the pace has been so quick because the refs have been on the clock after every single point.

"I'm completely ready to play and the clock is ticking 3, 2, 1, clicking towards zero.

"I'm looking at the umpire and obviously I'm going to speak up and say something.

"I've been ready to play for a minute and a half, and he tells me he's not going to give him a code violation because I'm not ready to play. To me, it's a big joke if somebody says that."


Shapovalov added: "I respect everything that Rafa has done and I think he's an unbelievable player. But there have got to be some boundaries, some rules set.

"It's just so frustrating as a player. You feel like you're not just playing against the player; you're playing against the umpires, you're playing against so much more."

The first complaint came after Nadal changed his kit at the end of the first set and Shapovalov remonstrated with Bernardes again before the second game about how long Nadal was taking to serve.

"I know I took some extra time at the end of the first set because I had to change everything there on the chair in the changeover," said Nadal, who won his only Australian Open title in 2009.

"It's obvious you can't play with the clothes in the condition that I was. After that, I was going through all the rules."

On Shapovalov's claim he received preferential treatment, Nadal added: "I really believe it's always in the mind that the top players get bigger advantages and honestly on court is not true.

"I never feel that I had advantages on court, and I really believe that he's wrong in that case."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/60124407
 
Nadal takes on Medvedev in the Aus Open final to potentially pull ahead of the rest of the pack and take Grand Slam #21!

Do you think he'll do it? Or is he simply past it?
 
Firebat said:
Nadal takes on Medvedev in the Aus Open final to potentially pull ahead of the rest of the pack and take Grand Slam #21!

Do you think he'll do it? Or is he simply past it?
Click to expand...

Medvedev in three. Maybe four but Nadal winning this despite Novak's omission will be spectacular
 
35 year old Nadal defeating the World #2 who's 10 years his junior, after 6 months out from injury, coming back from 2 sets down to win the 21st GS and go clear of the rest in a 5+ hour marathon (2nd longest grand slam final in history).

The fitness. The mentality. This is what GREATNESS looks like.
 
Australian Open: Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev from two sets down in Melbourne epic

Rafael Nadal won a record 21st Grand Slam men's title in the most stunning fashion, fighting back from two sets down to beat Russia's Daniil Medvedev in a classic Australian Open final.

Backed by a loud Melbourne crowd, sixth seed Nadal rallied to win 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena.

US Open champion Medvedev was going for his second successive major title.

Medvedev, 25, was in command before Nadal showed all of his renowned grit and fight to earn an extraordinary win.

The 35-year-old Spaniard has been at the centre of some of the sport's most incredible triumphs - but this surely goes down as the most amazing Grand Slam victory of his illustrious career.

In the absence of the deported Novak Djokovic and the injured Roger Federer in Melbourne, Nadal has moved one ahead of his great rivals in the race to finish with most major men's singles titles.

Nadal's achievement comes only a few months after he thought he would never be able to return to the tour because of a foot injury.

The issue restricted him to only one tournament in the final seven months of 2021, while a bout of coronavirus in mid-December also left him "very sick with fever".

Those setbacks meant the Australian Open was just Nadal's second competitive event in five months, having won a warm-up tournament at Melbourne Park earlier in January.

Nadal sealed victory after five hours 24 minutes - and at 01:11 local time in Melbourne - when Medvedev could not return a net volley on the first of the Spaniard's three match points.

Dropping his racquet to the floor, Nadal stood motionless with his hands on his hips and his jaw dropped. After a warm embrace with Medvedev, he walked towards his support team and exploded with emotion.

A triple first pump was followed by a drop to his knees, his hands covering his face as he looked up to the sky.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/60183864
 
Big fan of Nadal, but the win feels somewhat hollow with Dkoko being barred from competing.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Big fan of Nadal, but the win feels somewhat hollow with Dkoko being barred from competing.
Click to expand...

The last time Djokovic took on Medvedev in a hard court final was 4 months ago. He lost in straight sets. No need to take away from Nadal's win.
 
Firebat said:
The last time Djokovic took on Medvedev in a hard court final was 4 months ago. He lost in straight sets. No need to take away from Nadal's win.
Click to expand...

Nadal was in Djokovic's half. If Djokovic was there, Nadal would most likely not even have made the final. The last time Nadal took a set off Djokovic on a hard court was 9 years and many matches ago.

Sure Djokovic didn't beat Medvedev 4 months ago, but he thrashed him 12 months ago on this same court.

I'm not going to call it an asterix'd slam, but deep down I think everyone who follow tennis knows, had Djokovic been allowed to play, Nadal would probably, in fact most likely not be on 21.
 
Roger Federer took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message for his long-time friend and rival Rafael Nadal after the latter won the Australian Open crown on Sunday for a record 21st Grand Slam title. Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open men's singles final on Sunday, coming from two sets down in the title clash. With his victory, Nadal overtook Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the list of most men's singles Majors and become the first ever male player to win more than 20 Grand Slam titles in singles. Nadal won the thrilling final in Melbourne 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

Reacting to Nadal's win, Federer posted a message on Instagram.

"What a match! To my friend and great rival [MENTION=139483]Rafa[/MENTION]elNadal, heartfelt congratulations on becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slam singles titles. A few months ago we were joking about both being on crutches. Amazing. Never underestimate a great champion," wrote Federer.

"Your incredible work ethic, dedication, and fighting spirit are an inspiration to me and countless others around the world. I am proud to share this era with you and honored to play a role in pushing you to achieve more, as you have done for me for the past 18 years. I am sure you have more achievements ahead but for now enjoy this one!" he added.

Nadal fought back from two sets down to win the next two sets and set up a decider.

In the dramatic final set, Nadal broke Medvedev's serve in the fifth game but the Russian broke back in the 10th game to level the set.

Nadal, however, broke back immediately to clinch victory and become the first ever man in the history of tennis to win 21 Grand Slam titles.

NDTV
 
bones said:
Nadal was in Djokovic's half. If Djokovic was there, Nadal would most likely not even have made the final. The last time Nadal took a set off Djokovic on a hard court was 9 years and many matches ago.

Sure Djokovic didn't beat Medvedev 4 months ago, but he thrashed him 12 months ago on this same court.

I'm not going to call it an asterix'd slam, but deep down I think everyone who follow tennis knows, had Djokovic been allowed to play, Nadal would probably, in fact most likely not be on 21.
Click to expand...

You have been spreading misinformation in multiple threads on this forum.

Djokovic lied about isolating for 2 weeks before coming to Australia, when in reality he met kids and posed for photos, gave an interview while covid positive which risked the interviewers health as he was not aware of Djokovic testing positive and he visited Spain as well.

He even lied to his own country, they are not doing a thing against him otherwise things would be worse for him.

Australia takes its vaccine rules seriously, he is banned from there for 3 years (which might be overturned but it certainly ensured he was banned from the Australian Open 2022) so not sure why you cannot comprehend this takes precedence over your fantasies, Nadal won and this is a fact.

Serbia is a proven genocidal country with remarkable hatred for Muslims so your love for Djokovic is all the more fascinating. There is a reason why Djokovic is classified as selfish by tennis experts and for crowds always rooting for Nadal and Federer when they face Djokovic in a GS.

I guess Australia and RoW should thank you for not asterisking Nadal's win when Djokovic is not even welcome in Australia lol.
 
Browncaps said:
You have been spreading misinformation in multiple threads on this forum.

Djokovic lied about isolating for 2 weeks before coming to Australia, when in reality he met kids and posed for photos, gave an interview while covid positive which risked the interviewers health as he was not aware of Djokovic testing positive and he visited Spain as well.

He even lied to his own country, they are not doing a thing against him otherwise things would be worse for him.

Australia takes its vaccine rules seriously, he is banned from there for 3 years (which might be overturned but it certainly ensured he was banned from the Australian Open 2022) so not sure why you cannot comprehend this takes precedence over your fantasies, Nadal won and this is a fact.

Serbia is a proven genocidal country with remarkable hatred for Muslims so your love for Djokovic is all the more fascinating. There is a reason why Djokovic is classified as selfish by tennis experts and for crowds always rooting for Nadal and Federer when they face Djokovic in a GS.

I guess Australia and RoW should thank you for not asterisking Nadal's win when Djokovic is not even welcome in Australia lol.
Click to expand...

I’m going to try and rattle through your points as best as I can given I’m on my phone.

Please elaborate on the misinformation you refer to.

At the moment the only proven mistake is him meeting people after testing positive. Whilst that’s bad I know many people who have done the same and they like him don’t buy into the severity of Covid. I too don’t take it that seriously and regret getting double vaccinated because Covid is spreading regardless.

He wasn’t actually deported because he wasn’t vaccinated, he was deported because “his presence could promote antivax sentiment and lead to civil unrest”. Perhaps you should read before you type.

Serbia might have committed genocide but what role did Djokovic have in that?

The reason you list as him not being popular and supported is precisely what made me like him. In fact I support Medvedev now as well because the crowd hates him. The more a player is hated the more I go for them. So what if people like you and other fans don’t like him. Despite this hatred he has won 20 slams and dominated tennis for over a decade now.

Djokovic may not be welcome in Aus and you laugh at it but the worlds best player was missing from an event and there are articles such as one written by the telegraph which highlight just how bad this is for the sport.

Djokovic even with his absence is still holding 2 slams.
 
bones said:
I’m going to try and rattle through your points as best as I can given I’m on my phone.

Please elaborate on the misinformation you refer to.

At the moment the only proven mistake is him meeting people after testing positive. Whilst that’s bad I know many people who have done the same and they like him don’t buy into the severity of Covid. I too don’t take it that seriously and regret getting double vaccinated because Covid is spreading regardless.

He wasn’t actually deported because he wasn’t vaccinated, he was deported because “his presence could promote antivax sentiment and lead to civil unrest”. Perhaps you should read before you type.

Serbia might have committed genocide but what role did Djokovic have in that?

The reason you list as him not being popular and supported is precisely what made me like him. In fact I support Medvedev now as well because the crowd hates him. The more a player is hated the more I go for them. So what if people like you and other fans don’t like him. Despite this hatred he has won 20 slams and dominated tennis for over a decade now.

Djokovic may not be welcome in Aus and you laugh at it but the worlds best player was missing from an event and there are articles such as one written by the telegraph which highlight just how bad this is for the sport.

Djokovic even with his absence is still holding 2 slams.
Click to expand...

If he is actually banned for 3 years, will you downplay each player who wins Aus Opens achievement until the year 2025 due to Djokovic's conscious decision to break the law? How is it Nadal or any future winners fault?

Fact is he is not Australian, its a privilege for him if they allow him in, they chose not to, it ends there.

You say only proven mistake is him meeting people. Are you denying Djokovic himself accepted he met an interviewer and honoured the interview commitment while not informing him he's covid positive which he accepts was a big mistake and risked the interviewers life. At least have the courage to be honest and accept what Djokovic himself has said. I wouldn't even know this if Djokovic didn't mention it.

So you accept he deliberately chose not to be vaccinated, then not sure how you can claim he would/should/could have won the tournament this year?

I have read a lot more than you and am not letting my bias lead to posting fantasies.

The Serbian president said they will investigate whether he should be charged for meeting people in Belgrade while positive for covid. Is that also a lie by his own country's authorities?

Winning 20 GS means he can violate laws in multiple countries?

I never said I do not like him and neither did I laugh at him, I just ensured you hiding his selfish belief of being superior to entire countries is exposed.

He can win more slams than Nadal and Federer but whatever he does is documented and is the reason experts of the sport, journalists and most tennis fans will ensure he only has minority support at a GS and he will continue to be exposed.

Its one thing to support him for being part of the Big 3 but entirely another to support his superiority complex. Have a look at what Australian TV channel hosts were saying about him off air, this will be etched in history no matter what he achieves on the court.
 
bones said:
I’m going to try and rattle through your points as best as I can given I’m on my phone.

Please elaborate on the misinformation you refer to.

At the moment the only proven mistake is him meeting people after testing positive. Whilst that’s bad I know many people who have done the same and they like him don’t buy into the severity of Covid. I too don’t take it that seriously and regret getting double vaccinated because Covid is spreading regardless.

He wasn’t actually deported because he wasn’t vaccinated, he was deported because “his presence could promote antivax sentiment and lead to civil unrest”. Perhaps you should read before you type.

Serbia might have committed genocide but what role did Djokovic have in that?

The reason you list as him not being popular and supported is precisely what made me like him. In fact I support Medvedev now as well because the crowd hates him. The more a player is hated the more I go for them. So what if people like you and other fans don’t like him. Despite this hatred he has won 20 slams and dominated tennis for over a decade now.

Djokovic may not be welcome in Aus and you laugh at it but the worlds best player was missing from an event and there are articles such as one written by the telegraph which highlight just how bad this is for the sport.

Djokovic even with his absence is still holding 2 slams.
Click to expand...

Are you anti-vaxx?
 
topspin said:
Are you anti-vaxx?
Click to expand...

I’m not anti vax, but I am now anti Covid vax because of numerous reasons. I regret getting double jabbed and I will definitely not be getting a booster.

My view is with a mortality rate of 0.28 , probably lower if you consider so many asymptomatic cases, the reaction to Covid has been way over the top. This is no Spanish flu.
 
Australian Open: Rafael Nadal savours 'most unexpected' title as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic hail new Grand Slam record holder

Rafael Nadal hailed his Australian GP title as "the most unexpected" achievement of his illustrious career after a remarkable comeback against Daniil Medvedev clinched a Grand Slam record.

Nadal now holds 21 major titles and has surpassed Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who were both quick to congratulate the Spaniard on a feat he didn't think was possible amid retirement fears just months before the tournament due to a chronic foot problem.

But Nadal not only made it to Melbourne and the final, he fought back from two sets down against second-seed Medvedev - nearly a decade his junior - to clinch a 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 7-5 win following five hours and 24 minutes of drama.

"The most unexpected, without a doubt," Nadal said of his title after an exhausting and exhilarating match, which finished at 1.11am local time.

"And most surprising I think for everyone."

Nadal, who faded in earlier rounds and was playing in just his 10th match since early August, admitted he was "not ready physically for these kinds of battles" and that he "didn't practice enough to be ready".

But he added: "I gave it everything that I have inside, believe me. I am super, super tired in all ways. I even can't celebrate.

"But today was the day to give everything. I enjoyed the fight. I enjoyed the emotions.

"At the end, to have this trophy with me means everything today."

Incredibly, it was the first time Nadal had recovered from two sets down to win a match since beating Mikhail Youzhny at Wimbledon in 2007.

"The way that I achieved this trophy tonight has been just unforgettable, one of the most emotional matches of my tennis career, without a doubt," he stated. "It means a lot to me."

Medvedev, who was looking to follow up his maiden US Open title by becoming the first man in the Open era to win the next major as well, said his record-breaking opponent was "unreal" after going two sets down.

"He raised his level," said the Russian, 25. "I mean, two sets to love up, I was like, 'c'mon, just go for him, go for more'.

"In the fifth set, I was like, 'make him run'. He was unreal. He was really strong, like the way he played, at four hours I was even surprised.

"But, of course, we know how Rafa can play. He didn't play for six months. He told me after the match that he didn't practice so much. It was unreal."

https://www.skysports.com/tennis/ne...ak-djokovic-hail-new-grand-slam-record-holder
 
Browncaps said:
If he is actually banned for 3 years, will you downplay each player who wins Aus Opens achievement until the year 2025 due to Djokovic's conscious decision to break the law? How is it Nadal or any future winners fault?

Fact is he is not Australian, its a privilege for him if they allow him in, they chose not to, it ends there.

You say only proven mistake is him meeting people. Are you denying Djokovic himself accepted he met an interviewer and honoured the interview commitment while not informing him he's covid positive which he accepts was a big mistake and risked the interviewers life. At least have the courage to be honest and accept what Djokovic himself has said. I wouldn't even know this if Djokovic didn't mention it.

So you accept he deliberately chose not to be vaccinated, then not sure how you can claim he would/should/could have won the tournament this year?

I have read a lot more than you and am not letting my bias lead to posting fantasies.

The Serbian president said they will investigate whether he should be charged for meeting people in Belgrade while positive for covid. Is that also a lie by his own country's authorities?

Winning 20 GS means he can violate laws in multiple countries?

I never said I do not like him and neither did I laugh at him, I just ensured you hiding his selfish belief of being superior to entire countries is exposed.

He can win more slams than Nadal and Federer but whatever he does is documented and is the reason experts of the sport, journalists and most tennis fans will ensure he only has minority support at a GS and he will continue to be exposed.

Its one thing to support him for being part of the Big 3 but entirely another to support his superiority complex. Have a look at what Australian TV channel hosts were saying about him off air, this will be etched in history no matter what he achieves on the court.
Click to expand...

You don’t get it do you, Djokovic actually didn’t break any laws in Australia and according to the courts legally entered Australia. They kicked him out using the nuclear option of inciting anti vax sentiment. Even ticking the wrong box on the VISA application was accepted by the government of Australia as a normal mistake which would not have had any bearing on the VISA decision. They even acknowledged that the medical exemption was valid.

He broke the law in Serbia only. Please tell us what laws he broke in other countries and actually quote sources rather than Reddit or Twitter. He didn’t break any laws in Australia. In fact he had a valid VISA with the exemption like 4 others who were also deported later because of politics. There were false rumours he broke the immigration law in Spain but he is actually resident there so those lies were quashed.

If Australia didn’t want him then that is their loss but at least tell him before he makes the 30 hour journey. Don’t be cowards and start to make him a political pawn mid flight. You were the one who mentioned religion earlier so please tell me what does Islam say about how to treat your guests.

You mentioned the Serbian authorities investigating him, they won’t because he is no different to many many others who don’t really care about Covid. You say he could have killed the journalist, maybe but the chances of that happening were less than 0.1% right given the his age and double vaccinated status. I mean if you are double vaccinated why would you worry right? At best they’ll give him a fine like most others who break isolation rules. I know people who were supposed to isolate after returning from abroad and they didn’t.

He won’t be banned for 3 years he is too much of a commercial asset. Sadly this useless vaccination will be required so unless he gets it he can’t play. But having him play will generate more interest way more than not. Any publicity is good as far as the AO is concerned.

Players are never guaranteed to win anything but there are probabilities. He was the overwhelming favourite for the tournament and he would have been the overwhelming bookies favourite if he faced Nadal.

You say his legacy will be tainted but look at other sports and great champions who had episodes of controversy equal to or perhaps beyond this. They are still considered great because of their in sport achievements. Djokovic despite missing this slam still has a more complete resume and for fans like me that’s enough. I can separate the athlete from the man even if they are tied.

I hope Djokovic faces Nadal in the coming months perhaps even on clay because we’ll get to see just how much more of a complete tennis player Novak is.
 
bones said:
You don’t get it do you, Djokovic actually didn’t break any laws in Australia and according to the courts legally entered Australia. They kicked him out using the nuclear option of inciting anti vax sentiment. Even ticking the wrong box on the VISA application was accepted by the government of Australia as a normal mistake which would not have had any bearing on the VISA decision. They even acknowledged that the medical exemption was valid.

He broke the law in Serbia only. Please tell us what laws he broke in other countries and actually quote sources rather than Reddit or Twitter. He didn’t break any laws in Australia. In fact he had a valid VISA with the exemption like 4 others who were also deported later because of politics. There were false rumours he broke the immigration law in Spain but he is actually resident there so those lies were quashed.

If Australia didn’t want him then that is their loss but at least tell him before he makes the 30 hour journey. Don’t be cowards and start to make him a political pawn mid flight. You were the one who mentioned religion earlier so please tell me what does Islam say about how to treat your guests.

You mentioned the Serbian authorities investigating him, they won’t because he is no different to many many others who don’t really care about Covid. You say he could have killed the journalist, maybe but the chances of that happening were less than 0.1% right given the his age and double vaccinated status. I mean if you are double vaccinated why would you worry right? At best they’ll give him a fine like most others who break isolation rules. I know people who were supposed to isolate after returning from abroad and they didn’t.

He won’t be banned for 3 years he is too much of a commercial asset. Sadly this useless vaccination will be required so unless he gets it he can’t play. But having him play will generate more interest way more than not. Any publicity is good as far as the AO is concerned.

Players are never guaranteed to win anything but there are probabilities. He was the overwhelming favourite for the tournament and he would have been the overwhelming bookies favourite if he faced Nadal.

You say his legacy will be tainted but look at other sports and great champions who had episodes of controversy equal to or perhaps beyond this. They are still considered great because of their in sport achievements. Djokovic despite missing this slam still has a more complete resume and for fans like me that’s enough. I can separate the athlete from the man even if they are tied.

I hope Djokovic faces Nadal in the coming months perhaps even on clay because we’ll get to see just how much more of a complete tennis player Novak is.
Click to expand...

Here Djokovic accepts he lied about isolating for 14 days before coming to Australia, by being in Serbia and Spain.

''On the form, Djokovic said he had not traveled in the 14 days before his flight to Australia, despite being seen in Spain and Serbia in that two-week period.''

Here Djokovic (not me) accepts he made an error.

''After getting his positive result on Dec. 17, Djokovic said he canceled all his commitments except for a long-standing interview and photo shoot with French sports newspaper L’Equipe.

“I felt obligated to go ahead ... but did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken,” the tennis star added. “While I went home after the interview to isolate for the required period, on reflection, this was an error of judgment.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...istake-not-isolating-positive-covid-rcna11884

Firstly, I am not worried about the journalist, I'm just reiterating what Djokovic accepted, that he was wrong. You are using your personal views on vaccination to get personal here. Fact is he has no right to endanger the journalist, no one cares what %age of risk it poses to the journalist in your view, he is selfish, that's a fact, not sure why you go this far to justify it.

Also, funny you mention reddit and twitter links, I have never used any, I guess there are no limits to your assumptions. On the other hand you refuse to accept facts that Djokovic himself mentioned.

Also, not sure why you insist Serbia will not investigate him, maybe that's what you prefer. Their president has said there will be an investigation. As usual you went out of your way to say they will do nothing, not sure why you force your opinion on others and feel Serbia is awaiting your advice. They can do what they want.

You can hide behind semantics, fact is he was banned from AO 2022 and Nadal won, there is a word reserved for those who resort to could/would type scenarios. Also, the ground reality is I repeat Australia decides whether he can stay or not, not you or your fantasies about his non existent wins while banned.

You are openly insinuating that a selfish man is above a whole nation. If he was treated so poorly, why did he wait to be deported and not leave in protest by his own volition?

He can stop being selfish and participate in all remaining slams this year and in Australia from 2023 as well,I already mentioned they might not enforce the 3 year ban but they sure did ensure he missed out on a guaranteed title per your logic.

He was no doubt the favourite. I am one person but thanks for valuing my opinion, its tennis experts, ex players and most fans who feel his selfishness is permanently damaging.

You are again using Djokovic's performances to imply he is above countries and can break laws as he pleases, I addressed this earlier.
 
Browncaps said:
Here Djokovic accepts he lied about isolating for 14 days before coming to Australia, by being in Serbia and Spain.

Firstly, I am not worried about the journalist, I'm just reiterating what Djokovic accepted, that he was wrong. You are using your personal views on vaccination to get personal here. Fact is he has no right to endanger the journalist, no one cares what %age of risk it poses to the journalist in your view, he is selfish, that's a fact, not sure why you go this far to justify it.

Also, funny you mention reddit and twitter links, I have never used any, I guess there are no limits to your assumptions. On the other hand you refuse to accept facts that Djokovic himself mentioned.

Also, not sure why you insist Serbia will not investigate him, maybe that's what you prefer.

You are openly insinuating that a selfish man is above a whole nation.

He can stop being selfish and participate in all remaining slams this year and in Australia from 2023 as well,I already mentioned they might not enforce the 3 year ban but they sure did ensure he missed out on a guaranteed title per your logic.

You are again using Djokovic's performances to imply he is above countries and can break laws as he pleases, I addressed this earlier.
Click to expand...

There is one clear mistake here from him that is official, he broke isolation rules by meeting the journalist. I find it ironic that everyone is worried for the health of a double vaccinated journalist all of a sudden. Do you have so little confidence in the Covid vaccine?

That is precisely why I have switched from pro to anti Covid vax. It basically turns your very very slim chance of dying to an even slimmer chance. It does nothing to prevent the spread and yet here we are asking for everyone to get it and boosters as well.

Regarding declaring that he hadn’t travelled in the last 14 days that was completed by his agent and the government accepted this was not a serious incident. He didn’t need to isolate as per Serbian and Spanish law once he tested negative. He travelled to Spain after the negative test and that’s why the Spanish and Australia are not pursuing the matter further. Someone on ABC news Australia, a lawyer at Thomas Greer firm said if the government pushed on this they would lose because it doesn’t make any difference whether the person had travelled or not in third instance. The lawyer also stated that because Djokovic is a resident of Spain (a home he purchased in Marbella) the lawyers they would be able to argue on this point too. So the government only had one choice, to invoke the nuclear deportation option. Bottom line this was probably an honest mistake which we will call a lie but he would have got the VISA selecting yes or no.

Lie or no lie on this question he would have got the visa. Begs the question as to why ask it on the form.

No one is implying he is above the laws. They (Tennis Australia) found a back door method to let him in and he tried to use it. If there was no back door he might have got vaccinated or stayed home.

I’m not going to discuss much more on the topic I hope after the following.

Djokovic probably never had Covid and worked with the Serbian authorities to bodge a positive test. He probably didn’t have Covid when he met people either. But from a legal and diplomatic perspective they probably decided to stick to this story as if was the least damaging. I frankly don’t care. I want to see the best sportsmen play whether or not they are liars. I definitely want to see them whether they are vaccinated or not.
 
bones said:
There is one clear mistake here from him that is official, he broke isolation rules by meeting the journalist. I find it ironic that everyone is worried for the health of a double vaccinated journalist all of a sudden. Do you have so little confidence in the Covid vaccine?

That is precisely why I have switched from pro to anti Covid vax. It basically turns your very very slim chance of dying to an even slimmer chance. It does nothing to prevent the spread and yet here we are asking for everyone to get it and boosters as well.

Regarding declaring that he hadn’t travelled in the last 14 days that was completed by his agent and the government accepted this was not a serious incident. He didn’t need to isolate as per Serbian and Spanish law once he tested negative. He travelled to Spain after the negative test and that’s why the Spanish and Australia are not pursuing the matter further. Someone on ABC news Australia, a lawyer at Thomas Greer firm said if the government pushed on this they would lose because it doesn’t make any difference whether the person had travelled or not in third instance. The lawyer also stated that because Djokovic is a resident of Spain (a home he purchased in Marbella) the lawyers they would be able to argue on this point too. So the government only had one choice, to invoke the nuclear deportation option. Bottom line this was probably an honest mistake which we will call a lie but he would have got the VISA selecting yes or no.

Lie or no lie on this question he would have got the visa. Begs the question as to why ask it on the form.

No one is implying he is above the laws. They (Tennis Australia) found a back door method to let him in and he tried to use it. If there was no back door he might have got vaccinated or stayed home.

I’m not going to discuss much more on the topic I hope after the following.

Djokovic probably never had Covid and worked with the Serbian authorities to bodge a positive test. He probably didn’t have Covid when he met people either. But from a legal and diplomatic perspective they probably decided to stick to this story as if was the least damaging. I frankly don’t care. I want to see the best sportsmen play whether or not they are liars. I definitely want to see them whether they are vaccinated or not.
Click to expand...

Thanks for going over the link I posted and accepting he met the journalist while covid positive.

I never discussed vaccine effectiveness here so not sure why you are questioning me to enforce your own vaccine views.

You actually feel he did lie in collaboration with his country's authorities and to defend that lie he had to accept the deportation, it reminds of the saying about one lie leads to another and so on. I guess we may never know whether he lied about being positive, its an interesting angle though.

My entire point was in reality he wasn't there so why say x, y or z player didn't deserve to win and devalue their achievement.

It's a pretty big deal for Rafa to win the hardest slam for him against Medvedev who is 10 years younger ( also he defeated Djokovic in straight sets in the US Open) after being 2 sets down.
 
Browncaps said:
My entire point was in reality he wasn't there so why say x, y or z player didn't deserve to win and devalue their achievement.

It's a pretty big deal for Rafa to win the hardest slam for him against Medvedev who is 10 years younger ( also he defeated Djokovic in straight sets in the US Open) after being 2 sets down.
Click to expand...

Winning any slam is amazing, you have to win usually 21 sets in a fortnight in varying conditions.

However this slam is an example of much inferior the next best players are to the top player in the world. Yesterday Nadal was playing very average by his standards (he can be excused because he won and he was coming off an injury) and despite this Medvedev couldn't defeat him.

Time and time again Medvedev had Nadal where he wanted him but couldn't pull the trigger because he lacks the pace on his FH and BH groundstrokes. Djokovic kills Nadal on a HC and has done for years because he can soak up Nadal's FH like no one else in the history of the game and then can bully him with his own groundstrokes.

The lack of quality made for great drama and I'm sure people all around the world loved it. But I prefer to see the best because usually the quality goes up.

Djokovic was running on fumes at the US Open but Medvedev deserved his win through big serving.
 
Nadal beats Medvedev, who's now world #1, again on hard court but now in straight sets in the semis at Acapulco. Yet another remarkable career resurgence. He's not stopping at 21!
 
Rafael Nadal out for up to six weeks with rib injury

Rafael Nadal has been ruled out for between four and six weeks with a stress fracture of the rib.

The injury occurred on Saturday during the Spaniard's win against Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells semi-final.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion found breathing painful and said he was dizzy as he lost the final to Taylor Fritz.

Nadal, 35, is expected to miss both of next month's clay court events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, while the French Open begins in Paris on 22 May.

Nadal has won the title at Roland Garros a record 13 times.

In a post on social media, he said when he returned to Spain he "immediately went to visit my medical team to do tests after I played with discomfort in the final".

He added: "As it turns out, I have a stress crack in one of my ribs. This is not good news and I did not expect this."

Nadal has been the form player in the world this year, headlined by his victory in the Australian Open when he beat Daniil Medvedev in an epic final.

His defeat against Fritz in California was his first of the year, bringing a 20-match winning run to an end.

Nadal is not expected to be able to start practising again for four weeks and his next tournament is set to be the Madrid Open in six weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/60817261
 
French Open: Rafael Nadal won't play Wimbledon if he needs foot injections

French Open champion Rafael Nadal says he "doesn't want to keep playing" if he continues to need anaesthetic injections to numb chronic foot pain.

Nadal, 36, won his record-extending 14th title at Roland Garros having "no feeling" in his left foot.

The Spaniard had multiple injections during a tournament where he won a 22nd Grand Slam title on Sunday.

"It's obvious with the circumstances that I am playing, I can't and I don't want to keep going," said Nadal.

The two-time Wimbledon champion says he would not play at the All England Club, where the grass-court major starts on 27 June, if a nerve-burning treatment next week cannot solve the issue.

Nadal suffers from Mueller-Weiss syndrome - a rare degenerative condition that affects bones in the feet - and was limping at the Italian Open just 10 days before Roland Garros began.

"I have been playing with injections on the nerves to numb the foot and that's why I was able to play during these two weeks," Nadal said after his 6-3 6-3 6-0 victory over Casper Ruud.

"I have no feelings in my foot, because my doctor was able to put anaesthetic injections on the nerves. That takes out the feeling on my foot."

He added: "I'm going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon. That's it. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss. I think nobody wants to miss Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon.

"If I am able to play with anti-inflammatories, yes; to play with anaesthetic injections, no. I don't want to put myself in that position again."

Nadal said he would soon have radiofrequency ablation - which uses heat on the nerve to quell long-term pain - but would have to consider surgery if that treatment did not provide a sufficient solution.

"If that works, I am going to keep going. If that doesn't work, then it is going to be another story," he said.

"Then I will have to ask myself if I am ready to do a major surgery that doesn't guarantee me to be able to be competitive again and could take a long time to be back."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/61698213
 
Goku San came to life. It's not entirely pleasant watching as I don't like the sound effects but feel privileged to have followed this Era

It's been beyond words. The three musketeers. Honourable mentions for Stan and, perhaps, Andy Murray, may he write his own incredible renaissance?.
 
The thing is, even without his clay achievements he would go down as a top 10 of all time. With his clay achievements though he is even higher.

I still don't put him above Djokovic because firstly he just isn't as complete as Djokovic. The weeks at number 1 for Djokovic and the fact he's won all the masters is more than enough to make up for the difference of 2 slams.

I really want to see these two play more at other slams, but as we know Djokovic is good enough more often than not to face Nadal at RG, but Nadal is rarely good enough to meet Djokovic at Wimbledon or AO especially. Consider that they've only played twice at AO and 10 times at RG!

Nadal is the greatest baseline player the game has ever seen and in my opinion one of the mentally toughest. He's on course for a CYGS - let's see how far he goes in that quest.
 
Rafael Nadal says he intends to play Wimbledon after having treatment for his chronic foot problem.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion had said he would not keep playing if he continued to need anaesthetic injections in his left foot.

However, the Spaniard had treatment last week to reduce nerve pain and is planning to play Wimbledon, which begins on 27 June.

"The last week of training tells me there is a chance," Nadal, 36, said.

"My intention is to play at Wimbledon."

He said he would travel to London on Monday and play in the exhibition event at Hurlingham, which begins on Tuesday.

The two-time Wimbledon champion has been practising on the grass courts in Mallorca to test his fitness.

"I'm happy, I haven't been limping for a week," Nadal said.

"I have noticed changes with the treatment - I still have strange sensations, sometimes I can't feel my foot, but the pain that did not allow me to support my weight on my foot has subsided."

BBC
 
Rafael Nadal says he was "wrong" to take Lorenzo Sonego to task at the net as his "best match" of Wimbledon this year ended on a testy note.

The Spaniard won 6-1 6-2 6-4 with a stunning display to reach the fourth round that showed a marked improvement on his first two matches.

But it ended with boos as Nadal continued a discussion with Sonego, having had words in the third set.

"I should not call him [to] the net," Nadal, 36, told a news conference.

"I have to say that I was wrong. So apologise for that. My mistake in that. No problem. I recognise that."

The roof came on with Nadal leading 4-2 in the third, with the Spaniard appearing unhappy at the interruption.

Two games later he was upset over a noise Sonego had made during a point as the 27-year-old Italian set up his first break points of the match.

Nadal spoke to the umpire but then called Sonego to the net to speak to him, with the Spaniard then going on to lose his serve.

"My intention was never to bother him at all. Just to tell [him] one thing that was bothering me that I think he was doing in that moment, but that's it," Nadal said.

"I think there is some codes between players. We had some issues there. But that's it."

While Nadal then regained control over a match he had dominated and wrapped up victory quickly, he carried on speaking to the Italian at the net after they had shaken hands at the end.

In his on-court interview, Nadal said he felt sorry if he "bothered him", saying he "did it in a right way" but later said he had spoken to Sonego in the locker room and apologised, adding he did not want to comment on the specific issues in the match.

Before that episode Nadal had made serene progress in a thoroughly dominant display that underlined in emphatic style his claim to a third successive Grand Slam title.

Just a day after main title rival Novak Djokovic had come through a similarly one-sided match, Nadal sent his own message back.

The Spaniard dropped just two points on his serve in the first set and did not face a break point until the eighth game of the third set.

He won nine games in a row to take the first set and put himself in command of the second before world number 54 Sonego got back on the board with a hold that the Centre Court crowd cheered as if he had won the set.

Early in the third set the Italian had suggested to the umpire that the light was fading and that it might be time to switch on the lights, but it was not until 4-2 when his wish was granted.

He went on to break to love, a game in which he greeted one of his own spectacular shots noisily, thus irritating his opponent, but Nadal recovered to win the next two games to set up a last-16 match against Dutch world number 25 Botic van de Zandschulp.

Nadal is making his first Wimbledon appearance since 2019 and playing in his first grass matches since then.

He had dropped a set in his first two matches but against Sonego it was as if he had never been away from the place where he has won two of his major titles.

"It was my best match without a doubt," Nadal said.

"I made a lot of things much better than the previous days - the determination, the way that I manage to play more aggressive, going to the net plenty of times

BBC
 
GOAT.

Number of weeks at #1 was always an overrated metric that writes off players who struggle their entire career with injuries. Look at today's rankings, Medvedev being #1 is a joke, when we all know who the man to beat is in Grand Slams.

2 extra slams and an Olympic Gold more than make up for any argument against Nadal's GOAT status. Now it's upto Djokovic to change that.
 
Van de Zandschulp 4-6 2-6 6-7 (6-8) Nadal

Here is Rafael Nadal, as he chats after his win: "I think I continued in a positive way. Until the end where I played a bad game. I played a good match against a difficult opponent and I wish him all the best.

"In a personal way, for me to be able to be in quarter-finals after three years it's amazing for me so very, very happy."

On playing Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals: "Every match is different. He is playing well and having a very good year including a first Masters 1000 title, against me by the way, but we will be in the quarter-final of Wimbledon, so what will I expect."

On the Centenary and the Parade of Champions: "Yesterday was a beautiful thing sharing court with legends of our sport. Centre Court for 100 years is something very special."

BBC
 
More from Nadal, as he is asked about the final 2008: "It happened a long time ago but it is impossible to remember that final with Roger and all the most special moments we shared around the world, and on this court we played special matches in our careers.

"Hard to imagine after that final in 2008 that in 2022 I would be here playing at Wimbledon."

Next up, Kyrgios: "I hope to be ready to play it. Then Nick is a great player on all the surfaces but especially on grass. He's having a great grass court season. I need to be at 100 percent to keep having chances."
 
Rafael Nadal will have a scan on an abdominal injury before his Wimbledon semi-final after it almost forced him to retire from his last-eight match.
 
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from his Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios with an abdominal injury.

The 36-year-old Spanish second seed received treatment on the injury during his quarter-final against Taylor Fritz on Wednesday but pushed through the pain to win in five sets.

"I have tried a lot of times in my career to keep going but it is obvious the injury will get worse," he said.

Kyrgios will play Novak Djokovic or Cameron Norrie in Sunday's final.

Nadal confirmed he has a tear in his abdominal muscle which meant he would not be able to be competitive over two matches.

The Spaniard had practised at Wimbledon away from the media earlier on Thursday but then called a news conference.

"Throughout the whole day I have been thinking about the decision to make," Nadal told reporters.

"I think it doesn't make sense to play. I feel very sad to say that."

Nadal, 36, had strapping on his abdomen during his fourth-round match but was in visible pain from the injury against Fritz.

He took a medical time-out during the match and ignored calls from his dad and sister to quit before somehow rallying to win.

'Happiness more important than titles'
Nadal was a doubt for Wimbledon in general because of a chronic foot condition which he had to manage during his run to a record-extending 14th French Open title last month.

He had performed well at the All England Club but was visibly struggling during the match against Fritz.

His serve was noticeably affected by the injury and he said on Thursday that he could not serve "at a normal speed".

"I can't imagine myself winning two matches and for respect to myself in some way I don't want to go out and not be competitive enough," Nadal said.

"A couple of weeks ago I saw my career very different because of the foot injury.

"The most important thing is happiness more than any titles. I can't risk that match and stay two or three months out of the competition.

"I am very sad and it is a very tough one."

'You can tell how sad he is' - reaction
Two-time Grand Slam Tracy Austin on BBC TV: "You can tell how sad he is - he loves to compete, he's 36 years old and boy, has he had a tough year. After the foot injury at Roland Garros and the injections, it's hard to believe he won a major with a numb foot.

"He comes here and most of us thought he would retire yesterday in the second or third set. The guy just wants to compete, the will, the effort. But he said 'I need to have respect for myself, I don't want to go out there if I can't compete or serve well'."

Former British number one John Lloyd on BBC TV: "When he said about not being able to play two matches he knows that even if by some miracle he had got through Nick Kyrgios there's no way he can get through two matches.

"If he can't play at 100% there's no way he's going to do it. You can see in his face how devastated he is - he's got to get well, move on and get healthy and that's the most important thing."
 
I think doubts will always remain to the legitimacy of his achievements as it is superhuman. That's just the legend he is I guess but both he and Novak raise questions.

He won against Fritz because Taylor would barely go beyond R3 in most years and was out thought with Rafa maximising his optimisation of a court. But with 100mph serves he could have stood half way in the court and broken to love for fun. Shocking.

Being a son of the clay it might explain his sheer dominance but he also wins because other than Novak, or when blasted away by monster Soderling, nobody can come close to competing.

That could be the Mallorcan lifestyle: sun and great diet massive contributory factors.

Though Spanish sport is seriously dubious, hence the suspicions.
 
Rafa Nadal has withdrawn from next week's US Open tune-up event in Montreal due to the same abdominal strain which forced him to miss his Wimbledon semi-final last month.
 
Borna Coric spoiled the return of Rafael Nadal after a five-year absence from the Cincinnati Masters with a 7-6 (11/9), 4-6, 6-3 upset victory in the second round
 
Rafael Nadal survived an early scare against Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata as the four-time winner came back to reach the US Open second round.

Spain's 22-time Grand Slam champion was stunned as his 21-year-old opponent, ranked 198th in the world, took the first set on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

But Nadal, 36, recovered to secure a 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-3 victory in New York.

Earlier, compatriot Carlos Alcaraz progressed after Argentine Sebastian Baez was forced to retire with injury.
 
Hoping for another Grand Slam title for my tennis hero, alongside the incredible John McEnroe.
 
Rafael Nadal continued his quest for a third Grand Slam title of 2022 with victory over Richard Gasquet to reach the fourth round of the US Open.

Spain's Nadal, a four-time winner in New York, prevailed 6-0 6-1 7-5 in his 18th win over the Frenchman.

The 36-year-old won the Australian and French Opens earlier this year before injury saw him withdraw before his Wimbledon semi-final.

He will face American Frances Tiafoe for a place in the quarter-finals.

Earlier on Saturday, Nadal's compatriot and world number four Carlos Alcaraz marched into the last 16 with an impressive straight-set victory over American hope Jenson Brooksby.

Alcaraz, who reached the quarter-finals on his Flushing Meadows debut in 2021, won 6-3 6-3 6-3 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Ninth seed Andrey Rublev came through a final-set tie-break against Denis Shapovalov to set up a fourth-round meeting with Britain's Cameron Norrie.

Rublev won 6-4 2-6 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 7-6 (10-7) in a four-hour epic, while Norrie earlier beat Danish teenager Holger Rune in straight sets.

BBC
 
US Open: Rafael Nadal not sure when he will return after loss to Frances Tiafoe

Rafael Nadal says he does not know when he will play again after losing in the US Open fourth round.

The 36-year-old Spaniard, whose wife is pregnant, was beaten in four sets by American Frances Tiafoe on Monday.

"I need to go back. I need to fix things, life, then I don't know when I'm going to come back," said the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

"I'm going to try to be ready mentally. When I feel that I will be ready to compete again, I will be there."

Nadal is scheduled to be playing in the Laver Cup, alongside Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, in London from 23-25 September.

The loss to 22nd seed Tiafoe was Nadal's first defeat in a Grand Slam this year.

The US Open, which he was bidding to win for a fifth time, was only the second tournament he had played since pulling out of the Wimbledon semi-finals with an abdominal injury.

After an opening defeat by Borna Coric in Cincinnati, Nadal went to New York and was never fully comfortable in his opening two wins.

The second seed improved against France's Richard Gasquet but was overpowered by Tiafoe in front of a raucous home crowd in New York.

"The difference is easy: I played a bad match and he played a good match," said Nadal, who won the Australian Open and French Open titles this year.

"I was not able to hold a high level of tennis for a long time. I was not enough quick on my movements. He was able to take the ball too many times very early, so I was not able to push him back.

"Tennis is a sport of position. You need to be very, very quick and very young. I am not in that moment any more."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/62802845
 
Sitting courtside Rafa Nadal cried as his great rival, Roger Federer, bid an emotional farewell to tennis at the Laver Cup on Friday, later saying an important part of him was also leaving the men's Tour with the retirement of the Swiss.

Pictures and videos of Federer and Nadal - who shared one of tennis's most enthralling rivalries - crying together after combining for Team Europe in a doubles defeat at London's O2 Arena went viral on social media, leaving their legions of fans highly emotional.

Nadal, who has won a men's record 22 Grand Slam singles titles, said it was a difficult night for him emotionally as the defeat to the American pair of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe marked the end of the 41-year-old Federer's dazzling career.

"For me, has been huge honour to be a part of this amazing moment of the history of our sport, and at the same time a lot of years sharing a lot of things together," the Spaniard said of Federer.

"When Roger leaves the tour, yeah, an important part of my life is leaving too because all the moments he has been next or in front me in important moments of my life. So has been emotional (to) see the family, see all the people. Yeah, difficult to describe. But, yeah, amazing moment."

Federer, who won 20 major singles titles, played Nadal 40 times in one of the most compelling rivalries across any sport.
Despite the ferocity on court, they have remained friends off court. It was perhaps most apt that the Swiss chose to have his final dance with Nadal on his side of the net.

Loud cheers accompanied Federer and Nadal, or "Fedal" as they are jointly nicknamed, on to court. After entertaining the sellout crowd during the match, both were overcome by emotions.

"I think every year the personal relationship gets better and better, on a daily basis," Nadal, 36, told reporters. "I think in some way we understand at the end we have a lot of things similar. We approach the life probably similar.

"On court we have completely opposite styles, and that's what probably makes our matches and our rivalry probably one of the biggest and most interesting.

"Very proud to be part of his career in some way. But even happier to finish our career like friends after everything we shared on court like rivals."

TimesNow
 
Crazy a 36 and 41 year olds were playing a competitive match together. Both should be long retired and both were playing wounded. Unmatched and unrivalled
 
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