Rafael Nadal: is the end drawing near for the ‘king of clay’?
After victory in the French Open final, Nadal admitted his career ‘hangs in the balance’
It should have been a moment of undiluted triumph, said Tumaini Carayol in The Guardian. In Sunday’s French Open final, Rafael Nadal romped past Norway’s Casper Ruud to win 6-3, 6-3, 6-0, proving yet again why he is the “king of clay”. The victory – the Spaniard’s 14th at the tournament – moves his grand slam tally to 22, two clear of both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. It also made him, at 36, the oldest ever male champion at Roland Garros.
Yet after the match, there was a “bittersweet feeling in the Parisian air”, said Simon Briggs in The Daily Telegraph. For, as Nadal admitted, his career “hangs in the balance”. He has long suffered from Mueller-Weiss syndrome, a disease which restricts the flow of blood to a bone in his left foot. The condition has flared up in recent weeks, causing him near-constant pain: only regular anaesthetic injections, which put his “foot asleep”, had enabled him to compete in Paris. Speaking candidly at the post-match press conference, the Spaniard admitted that if a medical solution isn’t found quickly, he’ll probably have to retire.
The irony of it is that Nadal’s form has rarely been better, said Stuart Fraser in The Times. He began the year by coming back from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev to win only his second Australian Open. With this latest victory he has, for the first time ever, “won the first two major tournaments of the season” – a truly astonishing achievement given the way his body is suffering.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The French Open women’s final was also a one-sided affair, said Mike Dickson in The Mail on Sunday. Iga Swiatek, the Polish world No. 1, needed just 68 minutes to beat Coco Gauff of America 6-1, 6-3. It was Swiatek’s second victory at Roland Garros, and the 21-year-old has now won 35 matches in a row – the longest winning streak in women’s tennis since Venus Williams won the same number in 2000.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Today's political cartoons - October 23, 2024
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - loving thy neighbour, an HR matter, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Giuliani must hand assets to women he defamed
Speed Read The former New York City mayor must turn over his apartment and other possessions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Abercrombie ex-CEO charged with sex crimes
Speed Read Mike Jeffries ran the brand during its heyday from 1992 to 2014
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Dignity in defeat
Opinion Chicago White Sox players during a baseball game in Detroit, Michigan
By Theunis Bates Published
-
Raygun: heir to Eddie the Eagle?
Talking Point Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn has become 'a worldwide meme'
By The Week UK Published
-
Graham Thorpe obituary: 'chameleon' batsman with 100 England caps
In depth Cricketer's 'bottle in abundance' endeared him to fans
By The Week UK Published
-
Boxing at the Olympics: the row over sexual differences
Talking Point Controversy over Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting shines a spotlight on the murky world of gender testing – and the IOC's inaction
By The Week UK Published
-
Gareth Southgate's England: a bittersweet swan song
In Depth History books will favour football manager who transformed culture of football in England
By The Week UK Published
-
A brief history of the modern Olympics – and the winner's curse
Paris 2024 will be the 30th instalment of the summer Games
By The Week UK Published
-
The England kit: a furore over the flag
Why everyone's talking about Nike's redesign of the St George's Cross on the collar of the English national team's shirt has caused controversy
By The Week UK Published
-
Bobby Charlton: England's old-fashioned sporting hero
Obituary Not only was Sir Bobby one of the country's greatest-ever footballers he was lauded for his demeanour on and off the pitch
By The Week UK Published