Rafa Nadal has expounded on his plans for the rest of the year, stating that the dramas involving his wife and unborn kid have taken their toll on him.
The Spanish champion was knocked out of the US Open by Frances Tiafoe on Monday, breaking his 22-match grand slam winning streak this year.
A four-time champion in New York and bidding for a 23rd grand slam title, Nadal lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Tiafoe in the quarter-finals.
During his post-match press conference, Nadal admitted to media that he has no idea when he will return to the court.
The 36-year-old stated that he needed to return home to Spain to be with his pregnant wife Xisca, who was recently hospitalised in Mallorca.
“I need to go back. I need to fix things. I don’t know when I’m going to come back,” he said.
“I going to try to be ready mentally. When I feel that I will be ready to compete again, I will be there.”
Nadal is set to become a father for the first time in the coming weeks, which will have a significant impact on his future on-court intentions.
The 36-year-old was reportedly furious last week after footage of Xisca being brought to the hospital was released on social media.
“Now I have to go home, I have more important things than tennis to attend to,” he said.
“Decisions will be made based on how everything goes in my personal life, which comes before my professional life.
“It’s been a bit difficult for a few months but I want to finish the year with something very important that is my first child.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has previously declared that he does not want to start a family until after his career is over.
Rafa Nadal not ruling out playing again in 2022
When asked about his statements on Channel 9, Australian greats Jelena Dokic and Todd Woodbridge said they didn’t expect Nadal to play again until the Australian Open in January.
Despite questions about his future plans, Nadal informed Spanish media that he is not ruling out playing again this year.
“I will do a mini pre-season to finish the year in Europe with good feelings, and that is what we are going to try,” he said.
“There is a tournament ahead if everything else goes well.”
The Spaniard is scheduled to compete in the Laver Cup alongside Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray from September 23 to 26.
If Nadal is available, it will be the first occasion that all four members of the ‘Big 4’ play on the same team.
When asked about his loss to Tiafoe, Nadal conceded that age crept up with him against his 26-year-old opponent.
“I was not able to push him back. Tennis is a sport of position a lot of times,” he said.
“If not, you need to be very, very quick and very young. I am not in that moment anymore.”
