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The Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been suggested by Eurosport’s Mats Wilander as the perfect event for Rafael Nadal to bring his glittering career to a close on the biggest stage, but not everyone, it seems, is entirely happy about the protected ranking system that could see the legendary player take his place in the field at Roland-Garros. Nadal lost out to Alexander Zverev at the French Open.
Pedro Martinez has given his views about the protected ranking system that looks set to enable his fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal to participate at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the expense of others on the ATP Tour.
The unseeded 27-year-old lost out in straight sets to sixth seed Andrey Rublev in the first round of the French Open – the same stage that the great Nadal saw his exit at the hands of Alexander Zverev.
In quotes given at Roland-Garros, it seemed as though the Spaniard was not overly happy with the protected ranking system that affords leniency to players who have not been able to compete in any tournaments for a minimum of six months due to injury.
Nadal has been eligible due to the fact that he has been sidelined due to the hip injury he suffered at the 2023 Australian Open. As such, the 37-year-old, who is currently ranked No. 275 in the world, can use his protected ranking of No. 9 to qualify for the Olympics.
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The four players that have been projected as representing Spain are Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal, Pablo Carreno Busta and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, with the two biggest names having already spoken about their plan to play doubles together at the Paris Games.
In this case, the protected ranking is an injustice because neither of us has missed the Olympic Games due to being injured, regardless of whether it is Rafa, who we all want to see in the Olympic Games, including me as a fan,” Martinez was quoted as saying at the French Open.
“I don’t see it as entirely fair. It’s as if I get injured now and in four years I use the protected ranking in the Los Angeles Games.
“I think that this year I deserve to go to the Olympic Games – and not going because of a situation like this is a bit unfair. But you can’t control it and that’s it.”
Speaking after Nadal’s defeat to Zverev in the first round at Roland-Garros, Eurosport expert Mats Wilander highlighted the Olympic Games in Paris as being potentially the perfect setting for him to bring the curtain down on his career.
“The Olympics is huge for him to have a chance to come and play two out of three sets here on Philippe-Chatrier,” Wilander said.
