Tennis 2024

This is a joke right?
He'd obviously not beat Novak, Sinner, Carlos, and even Medvedev, but even in patches, he's shown a good enough level in these last two days to indicate he could hang with the clowns that is the rest of the field right now even if he was his fitness levels from just two years ago. And again, this is a Rafa with zero match fitness or sharpness. I honestly expected him to be much much poorer in these two games given how poor he had looked on clay earlier this year.
 
Fast court = advantage Sinner, as expected

My my what a rivalry this is
 
He'd obviously not beat Novak, Sinner, Carlos, and even Medvedev, but even in patches, he's shown a good enough level in these last two days to indicate he could hang with the clowns that is the rest of the field right now even if he was his fitness levels from just two years ago. And again, this is a Rafa with zero match fitness or sharpness. I honestly expected him to be much much poorer in these two games given how poor he had looked on clay earlier this year.

I think he could do decently in the three set tournaments but it'd be rough on the ego I imagine for Rafa to basically admit he has no chance at the slams and go the Murray route. It'll suck for the fans who would still love to see him compete at any level but it's probably the best decision for his long term health .
 
He is retiring because half an hour playing his A game and he can barely walk.