Rafael Nadal fears Novak Djokovic clash could be ‘final match of career at French Open’ | Tennis | Sport

Rafael Nadal has sparked fresh retirement fears by claiming that his French Open quarter-final could be the last match of his Roland Garros career. The ‘King of Clay’ will face old foe Novak Djokovic in the last eight on Tuesday, and the Spaniard has been philosophical in the build-up to a crunch match that could call time on his stint at a tournament he has dominated over the years. 

This year’s French Open got off to an ideal start for Nadal, winning each of his first three matches in straight sets. But on Sunday he met a stern opponent in Felix Auger-Aliassime, who took him all the way to five sets before losing in the decider. 

So tense was the encounter that the Spaniard’s uncle, Toni Nadal, who coaches Auger-Aliassime, had to leave the stadium midway through the match. But the 35-year-old saw out the job to set up a bumper clash with Djokovic which fans have been eyeing up since the draw was made. 

“Being honest, every match that I play here, I don’t know if it’s going to be my last match here in Roland Garros, in my tennis career,” admitted Nadal. “But ultimately they’re special matches in a special setting and I’ll give it my best.

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“In this case, perhaps together with our match in 2015, they’re the two matches that I face Djokovic here and he leads as the clear favourite. I am aware of what can happen and I am aware that it may be my last game in this tournament.”

Last year, Djokovic dished out Nadal’s third career defeat at the French Open en route to defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. The Spaniard has a record-breaking 21 Grand Slam titles on his CV, and a staggering 13 of them have come at Roland Garros where he has won four consecutive tournaments on three different streaks from his first win in 2005 to his last in 2020. 

“But I have the feeling it’s a bit different now – the way he expresses himself, with this scepticism. At some point there’s also the question: ‘When does the pain become so great that it overrides the motivation I still have?’

“Nonetheless, I always think fondly of that glorious final in Melbourne and how much joy he gave us there. Of course, everyone wonders, can he get that out of himself again in Paris – in his very own tournament?”