They say that loved ones will never leave if we remember them and that is what happens to us. Rafael Nadal when you step on the clay Paris. A place where it becomes eternal and where it will never be forgotten. That’s why it has a life-size statue at the entrance of the track. And maybe, having him on the court is reason enough to start enjoying his presence beyond the final result. Therefore, the decision to abandon the individual team to focus on the doubles was too painful and he jumped onto the Parisian clay with the added motivation to show that he still has a lot to offer. He defeated the Hungarian in a very tight duel Marton Fucsovics by 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
If you can play for love, the closest thing is what Rafa did in Paris. Love for tennis, for sport, for Roland Garros and for Olympic Games. That’s why it’s clear to him that his career needs to last, to experience the union of all factors on the same track, another dream come true. There was so much desire to see him play that more than 15,000 people filled it Philippe Chatrier and if it was greater, they filled it both.
Today, not before 1:30 pm, the same thing will happen with his Serbian reunion Novak Djokovictheir 60th duel, the first since the quarterfinals Roland Garros 2022. The Spanish will have the opportunity to balance the historical balance between the two, which is now slightly tilted in favor of the Serbian (30-29).
Rafa has confirmed he will play against Djokovic despite admitting he is in an uncertain moment. “I’m going to try it, I’m enjoying the experience. This is the Olympic Games and every match is important without a doubt. I don’t know the level I can play, so I’m going to try to do my best to really create problems for him; But hey, it’s a bit uncertain what will happen,” said Nadal.
“I always try to be with him in the necessary attitude and if the inspiration comes, he will catch me working,” he said with confidence before facing the world number 2. “We will be there, we will do our best to make it a special and magical day,” added the winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments.
There is an unchanging quality to his personality that he has maintained since the first time he set foot on these slopes in 2005 and led him to victory in that edition against the Argentine. Mariano Puerta, his ability to play the first point with the same intensity as the last. Because if anyone had an epic experience, it was Nadal, who faced the decisive round with more rhythm, ready to tie the match.
Nadal explained the physical situation he was going through and the decision made on Saturday to jump on court and not sacrifice the individual tournament to reserve energy for the doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
“We decided to play this game talking to the team. It’s true that I had to stop one day because I had a little problem with my adductor longus and in the tests there was also an image that there was something. Something very small, but there’s one thing; I’ve done a lot of physical therapy these days and I think it’s more or less holding , “he says.
“The truth is that the image is very small and looks like a muscle that has no direct effect on the movements. So I am quite optimistic,” he said. Nadal took the match against Fucsovics as a litmus test to find out his true physical condition. and draw conclusions.
“On Saturday I had doubts about that and to see if I should just reserve myself for the double but I have to try, I tried it, I think it went well and I hope that on Monday I wake up well and there are no setbacks and I can compete well,” said Nadal. He felt the encouragement of the French public in the most delicate moments of the match against Fucsovics, a support that he hopes will also give him more strength for the duel against Serbian.
“In the end, I felt very loved in France for a long time. Everyone knows how important this city is to me and how special it is. And the truth is all I can say is thank you. Thank you Paris and thank you in France for giving me the honor of receiving the torch in a special place at a special time. It is something I will forever cherish in my memory.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
