Rafael Nadal shuts down retirement talk after winning French Open for 14th time

Rafael Nadal has cooled speculation that he is set to retire in the near-future, by insisting that he will ‘keep fighting’ in order to return to compete at the French Open next year.

The Spaniard has fueled rumours of retirement throughout the last fortnight by referring to his run to the final as his ‘final matches’.

Nadal beat Casper Rudd [6-3, 6-3, 6-0] in today’s final to win his 14th French Open title and to take his Grand Slam record to 22 wins.

Speaking to the crowd afterwards, Nadal initially sounded as though he was making somewhat of a farewell speech by once again referring to his ‘final matches’.

But Nadal was given huge cheers when he told the buoyant crowd that he would ‘keep fighting’ in order to return in 2023.

‘It takes a lot of energy to keep going. I want to say “merci, merci beaucoup”‘, said Nadal. ‘I don’t know what will happen in the future but I will keep fighting to keep going.’

Nadal has long suffered with a foot problem called Mueller-Weiss syndrome, which saw him miss the majority of the 2021 season.

The Spaniard thought his time at the top was over and there’s even suggestions that he will pull out of Wimbledon in order to give himself the necessary recovery time in order to keep the condition at bay.

Iga Swiatek sends classy message to emotional Coco Gauff after French Open final thrashing

Rafael Nadal sends message to Alexander Zverev after opponent suffers horror ankle injury

Andy Murray takes inspiration from French Open semi-finalists ahead of Wimbledon

John McEnroe believes Nadal would be foolish to call time on his career now and says no player will ever dominate one slam in the fashion the Spaniard has at Roland Garros.

‘This will never, ever, ever happen again in our sport that one male or