Nadal to decide retirement after Paris Olympic

PARIS: Rafael Nadal announced he will determine his retirement plans following the Paris Olympics, after a straight-sets defeat by 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in the second round of the singles. The 38-year-old Spaniard, known as the “King of Clay,” has fallen to 161st in the world rankings after battling injuries for two years, culminating in one of his worst losses, a 6-1 6-4 defeat to Djokovic.

“I cannot spend every day thinking about whether it is the last or not, because otherwise it is impossible,” Nadal said. Despite his singles exit, Nadal remains in the doubles competition alongside Carlos Alcaraz.

Nadal emphasized that his decision will be influenced by his physical condition and competitiveness. “I have been suffering a lot of injuries the last two years, so if I feel that I am not competitive enough, or physically if I am not enough ready to keep going, I will stop and I will let you know,” he stated.

The record 14-time French Open champion had considered withdrawing from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with world number three Alcaraz.(Reuters)