"Rafa is going to need a bit of luck"- Mats Wilander on Rafael Nadal's future
Tennis legend Mats Wilander has said that Rafael Nadal still has another three or four years left in his career.
Nadal had an impressive 2022 season in which he won two Grand Slams. However, he also had his fair share of injury problems, leading to poor performances at the backend of the season.
Wilander spoke to Eurosport about the 36-year-old's future and stated that he still has three or four years left.
"If you have just won the Australian Open and the French Open in 2022, I would say you have three or four more years. I don't care about the fact that Rafa turns 40 in four years. I don't think it matters because you are going to have in your mind 'Hey, kids, I've done this now since I was 17-18 years old,'" the Swede said.
Wilander also claimed that Nadal knows what he is looking for emotionally and physically. He stated that if the Spaniard is fully fit, he can enjoy more success with a bit of luck:
"Rafa knows what he is looking for: he knows emotionally what he is looking for; he knows physically what he is looking for. He knows how much he has to train to have any chance of achieving that feeling, both physically and mentally. If his injuries are okay, I think he is going to get there.
"There is a lot of luck involved, for sure. I think Rafa is going to need a bit of luck, but he would say he always got a bit of luck. When you win that much, you need a bit of luck, and so I think he is going to be back."
Carlos Alcaraz dismisses comparisons with Rafael Nadal
In an interview with Eurosport, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz dismissed comparisons with Rafael Nadal. The teenager said that there was no point comparing him with Nadal, despite him being at the top of the ATP rankings:
"There is no point in comparing. It doesn't matter that now I have the number one title, Rafa's entire career counts a lot. It is a pleasure for every tennis lover to see Rafa on the court. He is in a very high level still, me being him I wouldn't even consider leaving it."