Uncle Toni on Rafael Nadal's retirement: "As long as he feels he has a chance of winning, he will continue"
In a recent interview at the International Sports Forum held in Spain, Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal's uncle and former coach, spoke about how long he thought his nephew would continue playing.
Toni Nadal, who was at the event as a motivational speaker, remarked that the only reason for Nadal to stop would be if the Spaniard did not feel he had a chance at winning anymore, and that he would continue fighting until that day.
"I'm not a fortune teller, I don't know. I think that as long as he feels he has a chance of winning, he will continue. When he sees that he has no options, if he goes to a tournament and has no chance of winning, I don't think he will play," Uncle Toni said about Rafael Nadal's retirement
He further opined that players instinctively know when they have a chance of winning and that's what keeps them motivated. Citing Federer's example, Toni Nadal mentioned that there was a time, referring to the period between 2012 and 2015, when the Swiss maestro did not win any Grand Slams, but continued playing, reaching the finals and semifinals regularly. Federer later went on to win three more Grand Slams in his career.
"Federer went five years without winning a Grand Slam, but he was there, he was doing semi-finals, finals... he knew he could win. In fact, after five years he won three more because he felt like he had options. That is what leads the way," he said.
He also said that Nadal's decision to continue playing would ultimately depend on two factors -- how his body keeps up with his hunger for tennis and how far he feels pushed by his rivals in the coming days.
"How much time does Rafa have left? I don't know, he will clearly depend on his rivals, on his body," he added.
Rafael Nadal may compete on court again as he qualifies for ATP Tour Finals
Rafael Nadal may decide to play a couple of tour-level tournaments again as the 2022 season rolls to a close. After his stint at the US Open, the 22-times Grand Slam champion was himself uncertain of what his calendar would look like.
He has only appeared on court for the Laver Cup since then, to bid adieu and play alongside Roger Federer. He also recently announced his South American exhibition tour with Casper Ruud, which will begin on November 23.
Apart from exhibition matches, the Spaniard has not made any official announcements to play at any ATP tournament. However, he could possibly be playing at the upcoming Paris Masters, winning which would go a long way in reinstating him as World No. 1.
Nadal has also qualified for the ATP Tour Finals in Turin. He was the first player to qualify, and will be joined by Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas, among others.