Rafael Nadal has admitted he doesn’t know whether he will be able to play competitive tennis from day to day, as he admitted his future in the sport is ‘unpredictable’.
Nadal battled into the fourth round of the Madrid Open with a hard-fought win over Argentina’s Pedro Cachin, but he opened up in his press conference by admitting he didn’t know what would come next.
Five-time Madrid winner Nadal, playing at his home tournament for probably the last time, said on Sky Sports: “I found a way to be through. In the third, I was able to be more unpredictable and I think that changed the match.
“I’m enjoying the fact that I’m playing at home because it means everything to me and I’m trying my best to keep dreaming – and tomorrow is another day.”
He was a lot more reflective in his press conference, as he admitted he wakes up every day not knowing whether he will be able to play as he tries to manage his ongoing injury issues.
Nadal’s success in coming through a match with Cachin that lasted more than three hours may be significant to his mindset as he looks to get ready for next month’s French Open.
Yet it is clear that he is uncertain over whether he will be ready to play his next match in Madrid, with his plans for the short and long-term future still unclear.
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“It is more unpredictable for me now,” confessed Nadal.
“I used to be a not very unpredictable. I have been very regular in terms of emotions and in tennis, building every day. More or less stable.
“Now I am more unpredictable for my opponents and especially for myself.”
When asked if he had concerns over playing two days in a row ahead of his match against Jiri Lehecka on Tuesday he added: “That is the way the tournament works. I play tomorrow.
“I need to find a way to be able to play days in a row and be competitive. I don’t know if I am in that moment yet, let’s see what happens. I’m just happy to be on court again and I hope to be ready.
“I need to wait, to be 100 per-cent honest. Something can happen when you play a match like I did (against Cachin).
“No one knows what can happen during the night. That is not me trying to protect myself, that is me speaking with my heart. I’m hoping to be on court tomorrow, that is just being honest.
“I have never spent almost two years without playing tennis tournaments.
“After Wimbledon 2022, I played a match in Cincinnati, some matches at the US Open. Then we had the issues with the baby and the abdominal tear.
“How many matches have I played in the last two years? Not many. You cannot practice for these matches and it is unpredictable. You need to accept that, I need to accept that.
“Last week (in Barcelona), I was not ready to fight for that match against Alex (De Minaur) and that was the right decision because if I fight for that match, I might not be here now.”
Nadal’s thrilling victories in Madrid will be building some confidence in this 22-time Grand Slam winning legend, but it is clear that his hopes of pushing for glory in best-of-five set matches at the French Open in less than a month are still a distant dream.