Rafael Nadal Says 2020 Tennis Season ‘Has Been Practically Lost,’ Hopeful To ‘Start Next Year’

Rafael Nadal believes the 2020 tennis season “has been practically lost” and he’s hopeful of returning to the courts in 2021.

“I would sign up right now just to being ready for 2021,” Nadal said in interviews with El Pais and other Spanish newspapers published Tuesday (via the AP). “I’m more concerned with the Australian Open than with what happens later this year. I think 2020 has been practically lost. I’m hopeful of being able to start next year.”

Wimbledon has already been canceled, while the French Open, which Nadal has won 12 times, is postponed until Sept. 20-Oct. 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Open, where Nadal is the defending champion, is weighing “every scenario,” including playing in New York without fans starting Aug. 31 and moving the event to Indian Wells in November.

Nadal won two of the four Grand Slam titles in 2019 but he turns 34 in June. With 19 major titles, he remains one behind Roger Federer’s men’s mark of 20. Novak Djokovic, who has won five of the last seven major titles, turns 33 later this month.

“Sadly, I’m not going to lie to you, the feeling is that we are losing a year of our lives,” Nadal said. “And at 33, 34 years old, that is more valuable than at 20, when you have more time ahead of you.”

In January, Federer said it was “obvious” that Nadal and Djokovic would surpass him, but that was before the pandemic put everything on hold. Of course, Federer turns 39 in August and will be nearly 40 when the next Wimbledon is held in 2021. That is the one tournament where the Swiss might be able to win another major.

Meantime, Nadal said he’s confused by rules about whether he’s allowed to train.

“It’s not clear to me whether I can go practice or not,” Nadal said.

Djokovic appeared to have broken confinement rules on Monday when he went onto a tennis court at a club in the Spanish city of Marbella. The tennis federation had said players are not yet allowed to practice on courts.

Nadal said he won’t be able to use the main courts at his tennis academy in Mallorca because there are still 85 kids confined there.

“Nobody can get in there,” Nadal said.

(The AP contributed reporting.)