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After an anxious and seemingly endless wait, 14-time grand slam champion and 2008 gold medallist Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will be playing Olympics; singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
The news, revealed to media after a decisive practice session on Tuesday evening, comes after a week of doubt.
Nadal has been sidelined for two months after his withdrawal from the French Open with an inflamed tendon sheath in his left wrist, preventing him from unleashing the lethal weapon that is his legendary forehand.
Stating his recovery time was going slower that he wished, the odds lengthened of Nadal competing even in the doubles categories in Rio.
Given the fact he is the flag bearer for Spain in the opening ceremony, and was forced to miss the London Olympics in 2012 with a knee injury (where he was also supposed to bear the flag), the circumstances seemed dire. However, according to Spanish Davis Cup captain Conchita Martinez, Rafa will play all three events.
“The wrist has evolved well. If it continues like this, it is positive.” said Martinez.
“Here in Rio, we have intensified his workouts and he has responded well. He is going to do phenomenally, and we have faith in him.”
Nadal himself also weighed in on the situation, at the press conference held on centre court.
“I have decided to play all the events I can. We are here and the practices have gone more or less well,” the Spanish champ said.
“It is not an ideal situation; there are always risks… I still have discomfort but the MRI scan was okay.”
The news comes as the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel for Nadal, his team, and his fans. After launching a comeback during the 2016 European clay court swing, winning back-to-back titles at the Monte Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open, Roland Garros was pegged by many to be Nadal’s resurgent grand slam.
He played his opening two matches with clinical precision and sublime style, including an emphatic first round 6-1 6-1 6-1 victory over Sam Groth (in which Nadal only made three unforced errors). The Spaniard looked ready to steamroll his way through the tournament to a record-extending tenth crown on Court Philippe Chatrier.
However, after revealing he played his second round match with his wrist completely anesthetised, Nadal was forced to withdraw, lest he wrack up a potentially career-threatening tendon tear.
Withdrawals from Queens, Stuttgart, Wimbledon, Hamburg, and the Davis Cup soon followed, leaving many wondering when Nadal, with his glittering career so marred by injury in recent years, would finally be granted a reprieve.
Perhaps, armed with the fact he has already won Olympic gold, and unencumbered by the pressure of defending ranking points (Olympic tennis will yield none this year), Nadal could launch a better-than-expected run on the hard courts of Rio. True to form, the world No.5 revealed his trademark fighting spirit when he stated that, despite the uncertainty surrounding his condition, he was there to battle for the top prizes.
“Nobody’s going to take away from the dream of competing at the Olympic Games, and trying to get a medal,” Nadal assured journalists.
This decision to play will delight not only Nadal supporters, but tournament organisers. After the withdrawals of Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, Tomas Berdych, and numerous other top players on the men’s side, Rafa’s participation will add some much-needed star power to the troubled tournament.
So, what can we expect of Rafa over the coming weeks? Provided his health is good, his confidence is high, and he faces every challenge with a smile, don’t rule out a good run for the Spaniard in Rio.
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