Nadal maganda ang pakiramdam ngunit binalewala ang anumang mga ekspektasyon sa Australian Open
Spain's Rafael Nadal signs autographs during a promotional event ahead of the Brisbane International © Patrick HAMILTON / AFP
Sinabi ni Rafael Nadal na “maganda ang kaniyang nararamdaman,” subalit binalewala ang anumang tyansa ng panalo sa mga torneo sa hinaharap, ngayong babalik na siya makaraan ang halos isang taon ding hindi paglalaro bunga ng injury.
Ang 37-anyos ay hindi na nakapaglaro mula nang matalo sa ikalawang round sa Australian Open ngayong taon, kung saan sumailalim siya sa dalawang round ng hip surgery.
Nagdulot ito ng pangamba na maaaring matapos na ang kanyang tennis career, ngunit muli siyang makikita sa tennis courts sa Brisbane International simula sa Linggo bago ang Australian Open sa Melbourne.
Sinabi ng Spanish player na si Nadal, “I am feeling good. I can’t complain. I feel much better today than what I expected one month ago, but for me, it’s impossible to think about winning tournaments today. What’s possible is to enjoy the comeback to the court.”
Dagdag pa niya, “I don’t expect much, honestly,” he added. “The only thing that I expect is to be able to go on court, to feel myself competitive and to give my best.”
Ang 22-time Grand Slam champion ay gumugol ng oras sa kanyang academy sa Kuwait ngayong buwan, sa paghahanap ng mga temperatura at kundisyon na katulad ng maaaring maging kondisyon at temperatura sa Australia.
Ngunit ang lebel ng kaniyang training ay limitado at inamin niya, “it would be a tough process in the beginning.”
Aniya, “It’s not like I’ve been practising with good intensity for the last six months. I just have been practising for the last month in a very good intensity. Nothing is impossible. But for me, just being here is a victory, and I hope that I will have a chance to enjoy, and the crowd too.”
Si Nadal na two-time Australian Open champion, noong 2009 at 2022, ay nalampasan na ng kaniyang karibal na si Novak Djokovic sa all-time list ng Grand Slam singles titles, dahil ang Serbian player ay tatlong ulit na nagwagi ngayong taon habang siya ay wala, kaya mayroon na ito ngayong record na 24.
Sinabi nito, “At this stage of my career, I cannot have super long-term goals because I don’t see myself playing for a super long time. But in my mind, I’m going to try to give myself the opportunity to be more and more competitive as the season keeps going.”
