Rafael Nadal will head to the Paris Olympics looking for a 3rd gold medal however admitted his “stage is nowhere close to the place it must be” after shedding the Bastad clay-court remaining on Sunday. The 38-year-old Spanish famous person misplaced in straight units to Portuguese veteran Nuno Borges in his first remaining since successful his 14th French Open title in 2022. “It is a lengthy week and an extended recreation. Even when I am not injured bodily, that is necessary – however mentally and bodily, I am not used to taking part in lengthy video games 4 days in a row.”
That is Nadal’s first match since being eradicated within the first spherical of the French Open in Might.
He skipped Wimbledon to give attention to clay-court abilities forward of the Olympics, which might be held at Roland Garros, the place 14 of his 22 Grand Slam victories have taken place.
On this Olympics, Nadal hopes to win the singles gold medal on the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the doubles victory on the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Along with his singles matches, he’ll companion French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in Paris.
“I performed within the remaining, which is constructive. I used to be capable of play for a very long time with out getting injured, which is sweet,” Nadal added of his week in Sweden.
The previous world No. 1 has solely performed six tournaments in 2024 as a consequence of harm, and his rating has dropped to 261st.
“In a means, I really feel like I got here in right here and educated lots higher than I did all week on the championship. That is what I am not pleased with,” he defined.
“I got here in right here feeling like I used to be taking part in at a great stage, however I could not present that all through the week. That is one thing I am not pleased with.
“It was a remaining anyway, so I can not say it was a nasty outcome as a result of it was the primary remaining a very long time in the past. However I did not really feel snug sufficient all through the week to be happy with the tennis week. I Play.
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