Rafael Nadal Pulls out of French Open, Gives Retirement Update

Rafael Nadal will not play in the French Open this year. The 36-year-old tennis superstar announced on Thursday that he’s pulling out of the grand slam tournament due to a lingering hip injury that has sidelined him since January and that he will likely announce his retirement from the sport following the 2024 season. During a press conference at his tennis academy in Manacor, Spain, Nadal said it could take months for him to return to action. 

“You can´t keep demanding more and more from your body, because there comes a moment when your body raises a white flag,” Nadal said during the press conference, per ESPN. “Even though your head wants to keep going, your body says this is as far it goes.”  Nadal went on to say, “You never know how things will turn out but my intention is that next year will be my last year.”

Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam singles titles in his career, and of those 22 titles, 14 are from the French Open. The former No. 1 player in the world was the French Open Champion from 2005-2008, 2010-2014, 2017-2020 and in 2022, and his 14 titles are the most by any male or female player at any single major in tennis history. In his 18 appearances at the French Open, Nadal has a 112-3 record, and his win last year made him the oldest champion in tournament history. 

“I am going to stop, I am not going to train. I am not ready to train,” Nadal said. These have been many months with many moments of frustration, and I can handle frustration, but there comes a time when you have to stop.” The last match for Nadal was on Jan. 18 when he lost to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open, his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2016. He is 1-3 this year and has lost seven of the last nine matches dating back to last September. 

Along with winning 14 French Opens, Nadal has won the Australian Open twice, Wimbledon twice and the US Open four times. Nadal is also a two-time Olympic champion, winning the singles competition in the 2008 games and the doubles competition in the 2016 games.