Rafael Nadal clears up plans for future and US Open after Paris Olympics

Rafael Nadal has hinted that the Paris Olympics could be his final act in tennis as he contemplates retirement.

The Spanish athlete has already arrived home in Mallorca and was welcomed by his dad Sebastian. The dust is yet to properly settle on his last Olympics campaign but Nadal has discussed his future ahead of the US Open later this year.

Speaking to IB3 TV, Nadal revealed he will take a breather to evaluate his year in tennis and to determine his next move. The 38-year-old icon didn’t manage to claim any medals in Paris, faltering against Novak Djokovic – who snagged his inaugural gold medal – in the singles brackets. The Spaniard also bowed out at the quarter-final stage of the men’s doubles alongside team-mate Carlos Alcaraz.

Speaking after returning home, Nadal said: “It is time to rest, to take some time and in a few days to assess everything that has happened during these months and to figure out what I really want.

The event is different from the circuit and I have enjoyed it as much as I could. It has been a fun, positive week, it has not ended the way I wanted, but this is sport. I have not been at the level I needed to fight for medals and in the doubles we have not been successful.”