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2024 was the first time since 2022 that none of the Big Three won a Grand Slam, with Novak Djokovic only managing to win gold at Paris 2024.

Rafael Nadal announced his retirement recently, revealing the news via social media. The Spaniard’s final tournament will be the Davis Cup finals this November, marking an end to an illustrious career which saw him clinch 22 Grand Slam titles.

In a video, Nadal said, “I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make.”

He also revealed, “But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”

Rafael Nadal

After Nadal’s retirement, Novak Djokovic will be the only active player from the Big Three. Speaking to the media team of Shanghai Masters, Roger Federer pointed out that he could feel a ‘change of guard’ in both women’s and men’s tennis.

“You can feel the changing of the guard: Serena Williams retired, Murray retired and Rafa is getting closer and closer. Novak had a tough year overall, but then he won the gold medal at the Olympics and achieved what he wanted. It was incredible for him to achieve that,” he said.

“You feel everything changing. Sinner and Alcaraz have won two Slams each, which shows that changes are happening. They are both very consistent and it’s great to watch them play. It was impressive to see Alcaraz live at the Laver Cup. He’s an incredible player and I think people will enjoy watching them,” he added.

2024 was the first time since 2022 that none of the Big Three won a Grand Slam, with Djokovic only managing to win gold at Paris 2024. Meanwhile, even Andy Murray retired after the Paris Olympics.

Ticket prices for Rafael Nadal’s final tournament has seen its prices soar in reselling platforms.

Rafael Nadal announced his retirement recently, revealing that he would last be in action in Spain’s Davis Cup tie vs Netherlands in November. He will be featuring alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers.

As it will be the legend’s final tournament, fans have gone into a state of meltdown to book tickets for the event. Tickets on official platforms were sold out weeks ago as Nadal is pairing up with Alcaraz. But with the retirement announcement, resellers have seen prices skyrocket.

Rafael Nadal brandishes the spoils of his U.S. Open final victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev on Sunday. The Spaniard’s win in New York City — his fourth U.S. Open title — gives him 19 career individual grand slam wins, just one shy of rival Roger Federer’s record.

 

On Viagogo, price has reached 34500 Euros, which is 31 lakh approximately.

Announcing his retirement via a video on social media, Nadal said, “I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make.”

“But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.

“But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle, since one of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Seville in 2004.”

Nadal has been ranked world no. 1 in singles for 209 weeks and has ended as the year-end no. 1 five times. He has clinched 22 Grand Slam singles titles, whih also consists of a record-haul of 14 French Open trophies.

Nadal also has won 92 ATP-level singles titles, and an Olympic gold medal.

  • Nadal announced retirement from tennis in October 2024
  • Spaniard won 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Open crowns
  • Real Madrid the club Nadal is a lifelong supporter of, star has spoken previously about becoming club president

    With tennis legend Rafael Nadal’s retirement from the game now made official, all eyes are focused on what the ‘King of Clay’ will do next.

    Nadal revealed his decision to retire from professional tennis on Thursday 10 October, ending a glistening career that saw him win 22 Grand Slam titles – second on the all-time list behind Novak Djokovic – in total, 14 of which came at the French Open.

    The Spaniard’s racquet will officially be hung up after the Davis Cup finals are played out in November, but it’s not just his tennis prowess that he’s been known for.

    Indeed, Nadal has been the face of some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Nike – his signature headband a staple of his apparel ever since he burst onto the scene.

    One other area of interest for Nadal is his unadulterated love for Real Madrid. A lifelong supporter of the club, he is a close friend of club president Florentino Perez and is regularly seen attending games at the Santiago Bernabeu. He was made an honorary member in 2011.

    Nadal’s love for the club goes as far as perhaps taking over as president once Perez feels it eventually time to move on – a desire he confessed to Spanish outlet Movistar in September 2024.

    Could Rafael Nadal become Real Madrid’s next club president?

    “Would I like to be [president]? I think so,” he said. “I think I’d like to. But there are a lot of things. Right now there’s nothing to say because we have the best possible president [Perez].

“What I think today, I might not think tomorrow. There are lots of twists and turns in life. You have to know if you’re qualified to do this kind of thing. I’m quite realistic. I know my limitations. I don’t know if I’d be capable or not. Time will tell.”

Perez has spoken highly of Nadal in the past, despite the tennis great’s reservations about whether or not he could do the job, and went as far to say that he’d be a “magnificent choice” in 2018. “He is the best Spanish sportsman of all time, but beyond what he has achieved and continues to achieve in tennis, his figure represents the best values ​​of sport,” he continued.

“Real Madrid fans carry him in our hearts and we are proud to have a great ambassador for Madrid in the world.”

Whether or not Nadal actually comes to power remains to be seen, but there’s no question that his iconic status in sport would make him a hugely respected figure in boardrooms all around the world.

Iga Swiatek‘s loss is Aryna Sabalenka’s gain in the genuine sense. At least, that’s been the case since the US Open, where the World No. 1 faced defeat in the quarterfinals while the Belarusian won her third Grand Slam. Considering Swiatek hasn’t featured on the tour since then, the tennis world hasn’t seen a Part 4 to their thrilling rivalry this season. But as the season-ending tournament gets ever closer, the anticipation for a fourth WTA Finals meeting is palpable. And no one’s more excited than Sabalenka.

“Having this rivalry with Iga is something big in tennis and something much-needed in women’s tennis,” Sabalenka said after her first-round victory over Katarina Siniakova at the Wuhan Open. Notably, Swiatek withdrew from the Asian Swing in the build-up to the WTA Finals, and last week, she announced that she ended her three-year partnership with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. She may have won six titles this year compared to Sabalenka’s three, but staying away from the tour for the past month hasn’t worked in Swiatek’s favor.

Courtesy of her strong start to 2024, Iga Swiatek had a stronghold on the WTA Race to Riyadh throughout the year. That is, until now. With the World No. 1 focusing on regaining her lost form, Aryna Sabalenka has been slowly cutting into Swiatek’s lead in the Live Race to the Finals, like a tigress stalking her prey. After all, consistency has been the name of the game for her.

Following her triumph in Flushing Meadows, the Belarusian reached the quarterfinals at the China Open, losing to eventual finalist Karolina Muchova in three sets. That result brought her within touching distance of Swiatek in the Race to Riyadh. And after defeating Siniakova (6-4, 6-4) in Wuhan, Sabalenka backed that win up with another one over Yulia Putintseva (1-6, 6-4, 6-0). That Round of 16 victory added 215 points to her tally, effectively making her the leader in the Race.

Now that she’s in the quarterfinals, the 26-year-old sits at 8306 points, 21 ahead of Swiatek. But why is this important? Well, the seeds for the WTA Finals are decided based on this Live Race to Riyadh. As things stand, Sabalenka will be the No. 1 seed. This just means that if the top-four seeds reach the semifinals in the Finals, Sabalenka will face the No. 4 seed in the final four. That’s to say that the No. 1 seed has the easiest route to the title, at least on paper.

But we’ve seen how unpredictable the tour can be. Case in point: Sabalenka’s loss to Muchova in Beijing. That said, the fight for the No. 1 seed in Riyadh is unlikely to change going forward. Other than the fact that the 26-year-old will probably rack up more points, it looks like Swiatek is already in Saudi Arabia, as disclosed by her manager. Per polskieradio.pl, “Świątek’s manager, Paula Wolecka, confirmed that the 23-year-old has been training with sparring partner Tomasz Moczek and is being supported on the court by Poland’s Fed Cup captain, Dawid Celt.”

Considering this, is there a chance Swiatek could slip further down the Live Race rankings? Well, that’s extremely unlikely. And that’s courtesy of the massive gap – as wide as the Amazon River – between the top two and the rest of the field. For reference, Coco Gauff, who sits in third after her victory in Beijing (which brought in a 1000-point influx), is on 5358 points. If the American were to win in Wuhan, the maximum number of points she would reach would be 5968.

Iga Swiatek

As for Sabalenka, if she takes home the trophy, she’ll extend her lead with a tally of 9091 points. From the looks of it, Aryna Sabalenka is on a collision course to meet Iga Swiatek in the final of the WTA Finals. What did she have to say about the potential encounter? “Hopefully, we can play each other in a fight for World No. 1.” She’s chasing a return to the top of the rankings for the first time since September 2023. And she has every reason to stay positive!

Aryna Sabalenka could overtake Iga Swiatek as World No. 1

After winning last year’s WTA Finals, Swiatek has 1500 points to defend. She currently sits at the top of the WTA rankings with 9785 points. However, Sabalenka is leaping up the ladder and has 8716 points in her kitty. Thus, she isn’t far away from ending Swiatek’s stay at the top. Some words were burnt for Swiatek amid her absence from the WTA circuit.

Aryna Sabalenka said, “I mean, I love having this competition and I love seeing her in the draw. Yeah, I love to get to the finals and face her in the finals. It’s always great battles.

Loving the battles, she continued, “I always enjoy fights against her. But, I mean, I hope she’ll figure out the coach situation and she’ll be back in the Finals [year-end championships] in her best shape. Hopefully, we can play against each other there in the Finals, yeah, put it into a fight for world No. 1. That’s ideal.”

However, Sabalenka will get her laser-focused mind on the task at hand; yes, winning the Wuhan Open title. Can Sabalenka overtake Swiatek and end the year as the World No. 1? Let us know your views in the comments below.

Iga Swiatek’s coaching change has come as a surprise to many including members of the Tennis Podcast.

The 23-year-old has not featured on the WTA Tour since the US Open quarter-finals and her team will look different when she does make a return to action.

Tennis pundit discusses Iga Swiatek splitting with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski

Iga Swiatek form somewhat dipped after winning her fourth French Open title in June.

She suffered another early exit from Wimbledon and claimed the bronze medal at the Olympic Games, despite being the heavy favourite for the gold medal.

After making the Cincinnati Open semi-finals she exited Flushing Meadows at the last eight stage, and decided it was time for a change.

The timing of the announcement was an interesting one, and many were left surprised by the decision, including The Tennis Podcast’s David Law.

“I don’t know whether this was on the cards whether they decided between them that three years is enough or maybe he’s burnt out, but why wouldn’t you wait just until the end of your year to do this rather than have to miss tournaments,” he said.

“It does feel like it’s come a bit out of the blue. I know she hasn’t won everything she’s wanted to this year but she still had some significant success.

Iga Swiatek 

“To make a change like this when you’re still not at the end of the season and then taking tournaments out in order to find your new coach and work things out, that is a bit of a surprise to me.”

Will Iga Swiatek play again before the WTA Finals?

Swiatek has secured her place at the season-ending WTA Finals, and she is the only player to do so along with Aryna Sabalenka so far.

But given her previous announcements, there is a chance she may not play again until the season concludes in Riyadh this November.

Swiatek is the WTA Finals defending champion after the Pole won the event for the first time in 2023 when it was hosted in Cancun, Mexico.

Should the five-time Grand Slam winner compete, she will aim to become the eighth woman to successfully defend the WTA Finals crown.

Iga Swiatek‘s shocking coaching split has left fans wondering what’s next. The highly successful partnership between the WTA star and Tomasz Wiktorowski concluded after the former bagged four Grand Slam titles, among other accolades, under the Polish coach’s tutelage. With updates on hiring a suitable replacement still lacking, a French journalist has reflected on the potential reason behind the Pole’s surprising decision.

Let’s not kid ourselves—the competitiveness of the WTA Tour isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. While players’ stress can be managed off-court, gaining better insight into improving mental fortitude always takes priority. (Drumroll)—enter mental coaches. These individuals are exclusively equipped to guide athletes in better compartmentalizing high-octane emotions when competing on the circuit. Noting their monumental contributions to the sporting world, journalist Remi Bourrieres showered high praise upon Swiatek’s mental coach.

Talking to ‘Sport.pl’ for an interview, Bourrieres highlighted key details surrounding Swiatek’s psychologist, Daria Abramovich. Later, the Frenchman outlined Abramovich’s pivotal role in the Pole’s training, suggesting that the duo’s constructive chemistry could have caused the World No. 1 to drift away from Tomasz Wiktorowski as a coach. For those unaware, the young talent has often relied on her psychologist’s expertise. Notably, her former coach also emphasized the importance of mental wellness and recovery during their partnership.

Iga Swiatek 

He said, “Daria Abramovich has a good image in France, where she is perceived solely as a mental coach. In France, we have a growing admiration for good mental coaches, because we know that this is an area where French tennis players need to improve. Perhaps her role has grown a lot in recent months and maybe this has started to weigh on Tomasz. I have seen quite a few interviews with Daria in the French media, less with Tomasz.”

However, the Pole bid adieu to her ex-coach with full honors. The duo parted ways amicably, with Swiatek heaping praise upon Wiktorowski’s efforts and guidance during their fruitful journey.

Iga Swiatek credits former coach Tomasz Wiktorowski for guiding her to glory

Polish superstar Iga Swiatek ended her successful run with Tomasz Wiktorowski merely a fortnight ago. While experts like Barbara Schett validated the Pole’s decision, lamenting over Swiatek’s underwhelming results outside of the French Open, the World No. 1 paid her dues to Wiktorowski in full.

A massive void was created in the coaching staff of Iga Swiatek after the Polish star announced the end of her partnership with Tomasz Wiktorowski, her fellow countryman. Despite working for years together and finding immense success, the end was imminent with Swiatek losing her form. While announcing this change, Swiatek also revealed that she is looking at a foreign coach to replace Wiktorowski. However, with the search continuing, a shocking name has emerged as Swiatek’s potential next coach.

According to several reports, it is rumored that Swiatek will be coached by the likes of Tomek Moczek and Dawid Celt, who also happens to be the husband of the former World Number 2, Agnieszka Radwańska. Additionally, Celt is also the captain of the Polish team for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. But if Celt works with Swiatek at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, he could face a major scheduling hurdle, with the Billie Jean King Cup Final not far away. While the WTA Finals ends on November 9, the BJK Cup Final commences on November 13.

“I am currently in initial talks with non-Polish coaches as I prepare to take the next step in my career. I’ll update you once I’ve made my choice,” Swiatek said while announcing her separation from Wiktorowski. Among the possible names that resurfaced to replace Wiktorowski were the likes of Brad Gilbert and Wim Fissette, who are Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka’s ex-coaches, respectively. However, with the search going on, the rumors suggest Swiatek might appoint Tomek Moczek or Dawid Celt as her interim coach for this season.

Many tennis experts have expressed concerns about how things ended between Swiatek and Wiktorowski. Despite a successful partnership, it was a sudden end, which not many would have foreseen. In addition to that, a Polish tennis expert also expressed concerns about Swiatek’s game.

Iga Swiatek 

Tennis expert calls the game of Iga Swiatek as ‘One Dimensional’

While there is no doubt that Swiatek has been a force to reckon with on clay courts, her game drops on the hard and grass courts. Interestingly, she has won 4 clay-court Grand Slam titles and just a solitary hard-court major title. She hasn’t been able to get beyond the quarterfinals at the Wimbledon Championships, highlighting her struggles on grass. As a result, tennis expert, Tomasz Wolfke, expressed concern about her game.

Wolfke said, “We don’t really know what happened in this team, but three years of cooperation in tennis is such a completely normal period, and during this period Iga and Tomek achieved stunning success together. However, recently there have been reservations about Iga’s playing style. I even always said in an open text that her tennis is too one-dimensional, but you can’t have a grudge against her either, because there is also a tennis school that says that we practice painfully what we do best and beat everyone with these two or three strokes, just like in the case of Iga.”

Amid these turbulent times, Swiatek will look to come back strongly as she aims to win back-to-back WTA Finals titles. She has skipped the Asian Swing of the WTA Tour due to personal reasons and a comeback at the WTA Finals in Riyadh remains likely.

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