According to reports, as we count the months down for the start of the next Grand Slam and then the Roland Garros, more hope might be riding on the 2024 season.
Fans with French Open tickets in 2024 had the luxury of witnessing Rafael Nadal play at the Roland Garros.
It was a moment in history as the other players gathered to watch the King of Clay in action.
Unfortunately, it did not end well for the Spaniard, as he bowed out in the first game.
But now, recent reports are emerging that everyone with French Open tickets in 2025 might get to witness Nadal again.
Nadal Not Retired?
Rafael Nadal has never publicly announced his retirement after 2024, but many have assumed he will do so. Had the all-time great been mostly healthy and successful this year, there might have been the assumption that Nadal would continue into 2025 and see if he is more ready to compete for Grand Slam titles again. Nadal has struggled with injuries this year, though.
Lately, tennis commentators and people on social media have speculated that Nadal is searching for one final event to play before he stops playing professionally.
There is a chance that Spain’s Davis Cup tie in late November could be the final tournament. The issue is that Spain’s Davis Cup captain, David Ferrer, says not so fast.
According to Ferrer, he has been in contact with Nadal but there is a good chance that the Davis Cup will not be Nadal’s final match because Ferrer is not even sure Nadal will play then. There is even a possibility that we have already seen the last of the Spanish great.
Rafael Nadal may play at the Davis Cup in November.
He was bounced out in the first round of the French Open, a tournament he had won a record 14 times, by Alexander Zverev. Nadal was competitive in the match but still lost in straight sets.
The Spanish great skipped Wimbledon but returned to play a clay-court tournament in Bastad, Sweden, and made the final before losing in straight sets to Nuno Borges. The event was a warm-up tournament to help Nadal prepare for the Olympics, which took place at the same location as Roland Garros’s in Paris.
Novak Djokovic swept Nadal out in straight sets in the second round at the Olympics. That match was not competitive.
The Spaniard has not played since.
According to Tennis365, Ferrer said, “I spoke to Rafa, but we don’t know anything yet (about the Davis Cup). There is a possibility that he could be with us in Malaga in November. His goal was the Olympics this year, but then he stopped. He needed to rest and spend time with his family…I will speak to him later. The important thing is that he is well. If he arrives in good condition in November, he would certainly be a player we can count on.”
There is also an indication that he might restart his training to return to Roland Garros in 2025. This year’s tournament was a letdown, as the Spaniard was recovering from injury and had not played many games before making it to France. Those present with French Open tickets knew clearly that this wasn’t the Nadal they were used to seeing.
But only time will tell if Nadal will have the legs to make a comeback. Until then, the fans patiently wait.
Roland Garros Winner Iga Swiatek Ends Season
All good things come with time. Iga Swiatek knows that.
After all, she has amassed several accolades and constantly steps into glory with her impeccable mindset, one worth envy. But has it been enough lately? With a powerful and resilient coaching team behind her, Swiatek repeatedly proves naysayers wrong.
However, the 2024 season hasn’t been kind to the Polish superstar. A notable journalist has contemplated whether the World No. 1 should consider changing her coach for the upcoming year.
After a rather slow start to the season, wherein the Pole faced a third-round exit at the Australian Open, she readily found her momentum and clinched the Qatar Open. Surfing through several tour-level events, Swiatek wasn’t to be denied. In a bid for a successful title defense, the young talent also pocketed the French Open. All those with French Open tickets saw the superiority in the world’s #1’s playing style and prepped her to win the other two Grand Slams in the year.
However, that’s when things went downhill for her.
A hectic schedule probably took its toll on the Pole’s Wimbledon campaign. Later, her Paris Olympics wasn’t a total success either, despite bagging the bronze medal. Moreover, she had to endure a tough loss to Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the US Open. Despite Swiatek’s recent struggles, Ben Rothenberg is not willing to propose a new coach for Swiatek.
Talking to TVP Sport, the acclaimed journalist opined that jumping to conclusions without letting the season run its course is uncalled for. Furthermore, the American highlighted that Swiatek is furnished with one of the best Polish coaches in the market, deeming a change unnecessary if the Pole is content with her team’s input.
Rothenberg also name-dropped Naomi Osaka, rhetorically stating if Swiatek had lost to the Japanese star in the early round of the French Open, then it could have been called a failure, and he would have been prompted to call for an immediate change in the Pole’s coaching team. But that didn’t happen.
Rothenberg said, “I would see how things will turn out until the end of the season. I don’t see the need for a change before this year’s finish of the struggle – unless something is dramatically wrong, and we don’t see it.
Despite facing trouble maintaining her consistency, Swiatek is still thriving and actively scripting records. Surprisingly, she has now leveled a record held by a notable tennis personality.
Swiatek ties Ash Barty for seventh-most weeks as World No. 1
The 23-year-old stepped into the 121st week of holding the World No. 1 position. This, in turn, has tied her with retired tennis star Ash Barty as the seventh on the all-time list for the number of weeks seated in the top spot. For those unaware, the five-time Grand Slam champion attained the No. 1 rank after bagging six back-to-back tournaments in 2022.
On Monday, Swiatek retained her World No. 1 spot for the 121st week. Notably, six women above the duo in the list who enjoyed the World No. 1 spot for the longest periods are – Steffi Graf (377 weeks), Martina Navratilova (332), Serena Williams (319), Martina Hingis (209), and Monica Seles (178).