Rafael Nadal and fans call out reporter over retirement question: ‘Give him a break’
Nadal won two majors in 2022, the Australian Open and the French Open
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Current world No. 2 tennis player Rafael Nadal, 36, pushed back on a reporter who asked him if he had plans to retire after losing a match at the United Cup.
"For me, I lost my match – that’s it, no?" Nadal said at his post-match press conference after losing to British player Cameron Norrie, ranked 14th in the world. "Every time that I am coming to a press conference seems like I have to retire. So, you are very, very interested on my retirement. I mean, that for the moment is not the case."
"When this day arrives, I’m gonna let you guys know," he continued. "But don’t keep going with the retirement because I am here to keep playing tennis."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US OPEN 2022: RAFAEL NADAL SHOOTS DOWN ACCUSATIONS OF PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT: ‘I THINK IT’S A JOKE'
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning the third set against Australia's Nick Kyrgios during their fourth round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Nadal also said that when the time comes when he goes out on the court and says, "that’s getting hard," is the day he'll say goodbye. He went on to lose his second United Cup match as well against Australian player Alex de Minaur.
"I don’t want to and I don’t need to keep playing for no one reason," Nadal said. "The only reason that I make sense to keep playing if I really enjoy what I do, and I really feel it.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Several Nadal fans pushed back on the press inquiry, considering the tennis great won two grand slams in 2022, the Australian Open and the French Open. In total, he has 22 major titles to his name.
"Once Rafa is not a top 10 player, he may think about retirement," one user said. "But he will continue his more than decade long streak of being a big threat and in the top ten against all players."
"Period. Leave my man alone and just enjoy the time we have left watching this legend play," another supporter said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - Rafael Nadal, of Spain, serves to Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships in New York, in this Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, file photo. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)
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ESPN tennis analyst Brad Gilbert also appeared to applaud Nadal's response, but predicted the Spaniard would "unfortunately" hear the question again.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Some critics defended the reporter's question, however, saying Nadal himself has often talked about his injuries and wondered aloud whether upcoming tournaments would be his last.
"And being honest, every match that I play here, I don’t know if gonna be my last match here in Roland Garros in my tennis career, no? That’s my situation now," Nadal said at last May's French Open ahead of a clash with Novak Djokovic.
"Of course I went through a tough process again with my foot, so I don’t know what can happen in the near future with my career," he continued. "But that’s why I am just trying to enjoy as much as possible and fight as much as I can to keep living the dream that is keep playing tennis and be back in a very advanced round of Roland Garros, playing against the World No. 1."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Roger Federer (R) of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal (L) of Spain play a tennis match at Cape Town Stadium as part of an exhibition game held to support the education of African children, on February 8, 2020, in Cape Town, South Africa. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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Other veteran athletes of the sport have fielded questions about retirement. The spotlight was immediately on Venus Williams, now 42, after her sister Serena announced that this past September's US Open would be her last.
Roger Federer, one of the sport's most recognizable players, retired just last year. He partnered with Nadal for his very last match at the Davis Cup in September, a tight contest which the two legends lost. Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic were long referred to as the Big Three in tennis.