"You want to retire me every day" - Rafael Nadal demands more time to make a decision on retirement after Novak Djokovic loss at Paris Olympics

Following his loss to Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Rafael Nadal stated that he needs more time to contemplate his decision on retirement. This edition of the quadrennial event is Nadal's fourth and final one, while Djokovic is competing in his fifth consecutive Olympics.

Former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal kicked off his singles campaign at the Paris Olympics with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Hungary's Marton Fucsovics. This win secured his spot in the next round, where he was scheduled to face Novak Djokovic. However, Nadal's Olympic singles journey ended in the second round as he suffered a 6-1, 6-4 defeat to Djokovic, with the match lasting one hour and 44 minutes.

Despite his early exit from the singles competition, Nadal remains a contender for another Olympic medal in Paris. A two-time Olympic champion, he previously clinched gold in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics alongside Marc Lopez.

This year, the 22-time Grand Slam champion has teamed up with Carlos Alcaraz for the doubles event. The Spanish pair secured a victory over the sixth-seeded Argentinian team of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in the first round to advance to the second round, where they will face the Dutch duo of Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof.

Following his loss to Djokovic in the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nadal, who is potentially playing his final season as a professional player, addressed the looming question of retirement. He expressed that he cannot dwell on the possibility of each match being his last and emphasized the need for more time to consider his future in the sport.

“I can't be analyzing every day whether or not it can be my last match. It seems that you want to retire me every day, give me a little more time," he said.

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Rafael Nadal on his potential retirement: "Will do it with great serenity, with the satisfaction of having always given my best"

Rafael Nadal [Source: Getty Images]

Last month, in an interview with L'Equipe, Rafael Nadal stated that he would make a decision on his retirement after the 2024 Paris Olympics. He said that he will make the decision with great "serenity" and with the satisfaction that he has always given his best while playing tennis.

"I want to see how I feel after the Olympic Games, then we will see what happens, what decisions I make. I will always do it with great serenity, with the satisfaction of having always given my best," he said as quoted by Punto de Break (translated from Spanish).

"When I have to make a decision, I will make it without problems. I always said that this would be my last year, but I can't be sure because at the end of the day you never know what can happen in the future," he added.