‘Testing Himself With Blank Bullets’- Rafael Nadal’s Impending Return Gets a Reality Check as ‘Unknowns’ Cloud the Legendary Spaniard’s Future

Tennis, a sport that brings glory and name to a player’s life, also introduces one with a risk of injuries. Rafael Nadal, the King of Clay and a fourteen-time French Open champion, has already faced a major share of injuries in his glorious yet harsh career. The Spanish legend, who is famous for his wild presence on the courts, had to stay out of the tournaments because of many severe injuries that hurdled his journey to the top.

But now, as fans eagerly wait for Rafa’s comeback, which is scheduled to be soon enough, a shocking verdict came forward. Journalist Alejandro Ciriza, considering all the recent events in the life of the Spanish tennis sensation, shared his thoughts about the blurred vision of Nadal’s future in the sport.

Journalist Alejandro Ciriza highlights the uncertainty of Rafael Nadal return

Rafael Nadal, the tennis legend, has left fans and experts quite confused about his future in the sport. Looking back at a recent interview, the legend seemed to be talking to himself, asking questions without any clear answers. As the event came out to bring a blind spot for the fans about how and until where the Spanish legend is going to lead after his comeback, journalist Alejandro Ciriza recently took his chance to bring a clearer perspective over it.

Alejandro Ciriza expressed his concern regarding the future of Rafa’s career. He mentioned, “Not even he himself knows what is going to happen, he is testing himself with blank bullets. He is at a point in his rehabilitation in which he is training at a medium level, without risking, in that interview he said that it is in mid-November. December when he will carry out more demanding tests in terms of competition pace.”

As the journalist appeared to be out of the right thoughts over Nadal’s current position, he added, “He is a man who has lived from day to day for a long time and who today continues to live from day to day. He would not put his hands in the fire because he was going to return, because he was going to return specifically to Australia. Today Nadal is an absolute field of unknowns. I don’t know what’s going to happen next year.”

Ciriza’s statement clearly stated that he wasn’t sure of Nadal’s return. According to him, even Nadal himself doesn’t possess a definite answer, so it is hard for anyone else to predict. With dark clouds surrounding the Spanish tennis legend’s professional career, his frenetic style of play has been a major reason for many severe injuries that he had to face.

ALSO READ: 5 Years After Rushing to Mallorca’s Rescue, Will Rafael Nadal Step Up as Acapulco Reels From a Devastating Natural Disaster?

Nadal’s wild playing style may be the reason for his diminished career

Rafael Nadal, the seven-time French Open champion, has seen his career marked by injuries, raising questions about whether his intense style of play is the main culprit or if other factors are at play. Nadal’s injury journey began in 2004 when he faced a stress fracture in his left ankle, forcing him to miss the clay-court season. In his 2011 autobiography, ‘Rafa: My Story’, he revealed the grueling training regimen set by his uncle and coach, Toni Nadal.

One of the most well-known injuries he faced was tendonitis in both knees in 2009. In response, Nadal had to make changes to his training routine. He dropped some weight and reduced his time on the court to only three and a half hours each day. Long-distance running too was left out of his training routine, and his focus shifted towards physical maintenance. The injuries that came out of his frenetic style of play happened to be a major setback in his professional tennis career. As the legend has announced his return in the upcoming year, fans now look forward to him with high hopes of the same performance that they once witnessed.

WATCH THIS STORY: Distressing Serena Williams Reality Leaves Gaping Void That’s Nearly Impossible to Fill for Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek