Rafa Nadal, the flagship of Spanish sport, could skip the Tokyo Games this summer. The double Olympic gold (individual in Beijing 2008 and in doubles with Marc López in Rio 2016) left his doubts in the air on the eve of taking on Jannik Sinner this Wednesday at the 1000 Masters in Rome.
When asked if he will participate, Nadal replied: “I don't know yet, I can't give a clear answer because I don't know. In a normal world I would never think of missing the Games, everyone knows how important they are to me. We will see in a couple of months …”.
The Big 20 champion said he needs to “organize” his schedule. “In a normal year, I know almost one hundred percent my calendar since January 1, but this (due to the pandemic) everything is different. Now we need to be flexible and adapt to everything that is happening. We have been in a pandemic for almost a year and a half and decisions are made more in the short term than in the long term. It also influences that I am almost 35 years old, so I decide based on what my head and my body demand of me at all times ”, he explained.
The tennis competition will take place in the Ariake Tennis Park, on a fast track, where the Rakuten Open is held every year and where Nadal has never been. The Wimbledon final is July 11 and the Olympic tournament is July 24 to August 1. There is enough margin (13 days if he played the final in London), but the restrictions will be maximum. Athletes will be isolated in the Villa, the coronavirus tests will be daily and they will not be able to enter it until five days before competing. The least similar to the three games that the manacorí lived, who only missed London 2012 due to injury.
Nadal would have the options to dispute the individual table, doubles and mixed, for which Garbiñe Muguruza had already offered to form a couple. “At the moment, I see no reason not to play in Tokyo. But Rafa and I are at different times, he has already won a gold,” justified the Spanish yesterday.
Kei Nishikori, Japanese idol, also said in Rome that it would be necessary to “stop and decide later” on the desirability of the Games. His compatriot Naomi Osaka does not see it clearly either: “I'm not sure they should be celebrated.” Resignations may be falling while Tokyo maintains a state of emergency until May 31.
But Nadal has time to think about it … The most immediate will be Sinner (19 years and 18º). “One of the most difficult beginnings possible”, warned in full wave of triumphs of Next Gen players (Tsitsipas, Zverev …). “There is a young generation that is good. It is life, a wheel that does not stop for anyone,” Nadal warned.