The competitive illusion of the Balearic Islands to remain, at least, a few more years
It is no secret to anyone that in a short time Rafael Nadal could talk about his retirement and yet many of his followers talk about his season for him 2023. And it is that few thought that after several years, that the Spanish would remain fixed in the elite with 36 years.
Once the worsening he suffered in his left foot was resolved Rafael Nadal and after having overcome numerous unforeseen events in 2022, what seems clear is that two things remain associated with the tennis player: the ambition to continue enjoying the competition at the highest level of demand and the level of tennis necessary to do so.
Becoming the player with the most weeks in the top-10 and participating in the Olympic Games is Rafa Nadal’s challenge for 2023
Although it is true that Rafa denies having any type of obsession with adding titles, it is clear that the possibility of continuing to add Grand Slam and Masters 1000 titles to his record is an important engine to boost the remainder of his career. So he keeps his pulse with Novak Djokovic.
This past December 19, Nadal reached 900 weeks as top-10 and did not leave this prestigious group for a single week. The fact of adding all of them consecutively places you in a practically unattainable sphere. However, the Spaniard still has Roger Federer ahead, with 968.
His physical conditions are more than enough to remain intact in his career
The fastest way to become the player with the most weeks in the top-10 and qualify for 1,000 weeks there would be to add a year without leaving the top-10. In case he does not lose points there, he would then have a breather until Roland Garros, but he has a margin compared to eleventh.
Finally, it would be to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. For this reason, his followers believe that Rafa will squeeze all his options to attend in full condition. He has never been able to play an Olympic Games on clay and seeing himself in Paris looking for a new medal could be the icing on the cake of an impeccable career.