Rafael Nadal will always be a hunted man – Boris Becker feels the Spaniard will have long road back

Legendary Boris Becker feels Rafael Nadal will have his work cut out upon his return to the tour in 2024. Nadal is currently recovering from a hip injury, which he suffered earlier in the year at Australian Open. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had to undergo surgery and he will aim to hit the ground running.

However, the German reckons the young generation is going to make it tough for Nadal, who has already announced that 2024 will be his final season on the tour.

Nadal had earlier said while talking to the media, “2024 is probably going to be my last year on the professional Tour. My motivation is to try and enjoy and say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important to me.”

“First of all, it’s good news that he wants to play and is on the training field. It will be a long, rocky road back. The young wild ones don’t sleep. They don’t say: ‘Nadal, it’s nice that you came. We’ll let you win now,’ He will always be a hunted man,” Becker said to Eurosport.

Nadal had also earlier said he wanted to bid adieu while playing the game. Becker said a player like Nadal deserves to retire on the court and not because of an injury.

“Rafa is one of the most important players of all time, and a player like that has to stop on the court, not because of an injury. The family has to play along, he has a wife and now also a small son. Everyone has to join in to support him,” the German added.

Becker also backed Nadal to win the big tournaments on the tour in 2024.

“Nadal should go back on the court and play well. As far as I’m concerned, he can win big tournaments again.”