Rolex Paris Masters – “I’m not fighting to be number 1”: Nadal plays it safe for his big comeback

We did not see him on the pitch with hot tears at the O2 Arena in London, for the retirement of his old rival Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal then agreed to play a brace alongside the Swiss in the Laver Cup, even though his wife would soon give birth to her child. Quickly returning to his side, he witnessed the happy event that inevitably turned his life upside down this fall, putting tennis in the background. But he still decided to play again in 2022 for the last two big events of the year.

On Wednesday, therefore, he is at the rendezvous of the Rolex Paris Masters for the entry into the race in the 2nd round. It will be her first singles match in two months and her elimination in the round of 16 of the US Open by Frances Tiafoe. But in what state of mind does she approach this great comeback after all the emotions of the last few weeks? Is going back to the circuit bathroom that obvious?

“It is always difficult to leave the house honestly. But it is different from before. Interestingly enough, even though I haven’t left him for his first three weeks, I start to miss him when I’m not with him. It is a new experience, all the changes in life are difficult and you have to adapt. At the same time, with technology these days, we’re lucky to be able to make video calls whenever we want, so it can always help.“, He explained at a pre-tournament press conference, smiling.

End number 1, difficult mission … but not impossible

And the passion for competition also mitigates this heartbreak. Happy to find Paris, a city that has been so successful for him (at least on clay), Nadal remains a fierce competitor. If he has reached the final at Bercy once in his career in 2007 against David Nalbandian, this Masters 1000 is one of the few that still eludes him. Try your luck again, persevere despite the difficulties, this is what characterizes it. And when another question comes into play – the possibility of finishing world number 1 a sixth time, which would allow him to overtake Roger Federer in this sector (Novak Djokovic did it 7 times) – the motivation is all. found.

At the Race, the “Taurus of Manacor” is 830 points behind his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, the youngest world number 1 in history. The mission therefore promises to be difficult, but not impossible given that there are potentially 2,500 units to be collected in the event of a Bercy-Masters shotgun. However, assures the interested party, these considerations do not concern him.

“I know you are interested, of course. But to be clear: I’m not fighting to be number 1. I’m just struggling to stay competitive in every tournament I play. It’s something I’ve been saying for a long time: I’m not going to fight to be number 1 again. I’ve done this in the past and achieved it in my career. I am very happy and proud of it. Either way, it doesn’t add pressure to me, not anymore. (…) When you play something like 10 tournaments and finish 8 (he played 12 for a package in the Wimbledon semifinals, ed), it’s hard to be number 1 … But I’m happy to be in this position because it means I played well when I played. “

In unfavorable waivers of this run, Nadal actually has no interest in making an obsession. At the age of 36, he could still become the oldest player to finish a season on the throne, a record held by Novak Djokovic since last year (he was 34 and a half at the time). But come to think of it, the Majorcan will have to evolve at a very high level, as some impress at the end of the season, starting with his great Serbian rival and Félix Auger-Aliassime. However, physically, too many strangers still parasitize his mind.

“Let’s see how it goes into play. A recovery is always difficult. When you have a physique as old as mine, it’s easier to know how it goes when you go to tournaments. When we come back it is difficult to know how we will play, how the body will react, because the level on the circuit is different from what I was able to do in training at home. I had fantastic results this year, but it was also tough with injuries“, He further stressed.

A cracked rib in the Indian Wells final, a foot in daily infiltration at Roland-Garros or even an abdominal tear at Wimbledon … his body didn’t spare him. And he can still betray him at any time. Yet, the rest taken in recent weeks has certainly allowed him to find some freshness. And if Nadal passes the first few laps without a hitch, then we will have to count on him. It would be quite surprising if he didn’t take the opportunity to make history again … if he shows up.