22-time Major champion Rafael Nadal is in Turin in search of the most notable title missing from his collection. Rafa said goodbye early at the Paris Masters and intended to arrive in Turin early and prepare for the ATP Finals.
Nadal will play the ATP Finals for the eleventh time, with a balance of 20-16 and without ever finding the winning formula in the premium indoor event. The Spaniard skipped many ATP Finals events due to injuries, and his best runs came in 2010 and 2013, when he lost the finals to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
In addition, he was a semi-finalist four times, including his last visit to London in 2020, when he had a great chance to beat Daniil Medvedev. Rafa remains in contention for the No. 1 of the year, sitting 1,000 points behind Carlos Alcaraz and needing a deep race in Turin to pass the young compatriot for his sixth No. 1 of the year.
Nadal missed last year’s ATP Finals and appears eager to compete next week despite an abdominal injury. Rafa skipped the second part of 2021 and started again this year to return to his rightful place. The Spaniard won the Australian Open and Roland Garros and reached the Wimbledon semifinal.
Rather than chase a third consecutive Major crown, Nadal withdrew before the clash with Nick Kyrgios due to a seven-millimeter abdominal tear. He lost ground and we still haven’t seen Rafa at his best four months later.
Nadal skipped Toronto and lost in the second round in Cincinnati. He won three matches at the US Open, but the pain kept him from getting the best of himself.
Rafa lifted the 2022 Australian Open trophy
Rafael Nadal stated that he loves to play tennis, that he is still passionate about it and that he wanted to continue as long as his body could hold out.
«I am happy playing tennis. I continue to maintain the love for the sport, the passion. If my body allows it, I will continue to enjoy my day-to-day life as a professional tennis player. When that is no longer possible, it is time to think about other things .
For now, I still feel satisfaction and passion for tennis,» he said. «Each title is different, every moment you enjoy it in a particular way,» he added. «This year I experienced exciting moments winning the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
It was a very good year, but difficult at the same time, since I had physical problems. But, if I put all this in context, it was an unforgettable year. I reached 22 Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros, an unforgettable moment for me, because of all the issues surrounding the tournament.»
