TENNIS
Rafael Nadal announces plan to retire next year
Spaniard reveals at press conference that he is out of the French Open and Wimbledon because of persistent hip injury
Nadal, who has won the French Open 14 times, will not play in the tournament this year
CHRISTOPHE ENA/AP
Rafael Nadal has announced his intention to retire from tennis next year after confirming his withdrawal from the French Open and Wimbledon.
The 36-year-old, who jointly holds the record with Novak Djokovic for the most grand-slam men’s singles titles on 22, has conceded defeat in his bid to be fit for his most successful major tournament at Roland Garros a week on Sunday, where he has won on 14 occasions. A lingering hip problem will keep him off the tour for up to six months, meaning that he is unlikely to return before the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November.
Beyond this, Nadal is planning a farewell tour in 2024 after admitting that he is close to the end of his tether after a
