Novak Djokovic has been urged not to copy Rafael Nadal by retiring just yet

Justin Engel has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the ATP Tour

In his quest to reach the top, Engel has been emulating Djokovic’s lifestyle. He shared: “I bought his book about what he eats and everything, so I also wanted to do like he does.” When asked if he had managed to match Djokovic’s rigorous fitness regime, Engel humorously admitted: “Not close. I try my best, but I mean it’s pretty hard. I don’t eat so much sugar, almost nothing. But there’s also a lot of other things that I need to eat.” Unlike many of his peers, Engel’s path to the ATP Tour was unconventional. He initially pursued a career in kickboxing but decided against turning professional due to the risks involved. Horst, the father of rising tennis star Engel, was a former tennis player who retired at 17 and transitioned into coaching. He successfully guided ex-WTA ace Anca Barna into the world’s top 50 in 2004. DON’T MISS: Tennis star Andrey Rublev ‘almost lost a testicle’ during emergency surgery

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Carlos Alcaraz showed his class to help the ill fan

In a follow-up post, she continued: “Thank you @carlosalcaraz for the concern shown to my mum today who was taken ill during your tennis match at Centre Court @Wimbledon. Unlikely you’ll see this message but I can try! Thank you,” accompanied by love heart and prayer emojis. After securing a victory, Alcaraz weighed in on whether Wimbledon should close the Centre Court roof during hot conditions. “Well, because of the sun, of the heat, I think it shouldn’t close the roof because we will play in an outdoor tournament. So the roof is just because if we can’t play in another way,” he commented. DON’T MISS Donald Trump had one-word answer to Danica Patrick question on Air Force One

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Carlos Alcaraz received a message from the ill fan’s daughter

“I think battling the heat, I think is one of the things that we have to do. Probably the match can’t be in another way, because of the heat. I think we have to deal with it in the best way possible. “Obviously for the fans, and even here in London, they are not used to having this weather. Sitting five hours in the stand without moving, the sun hitting, I think could be really difficult to deal with for the spectators. But we are playing an outdoor tournament, so I think that the roof shouldn’t be closed because of it.”

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Jannik Sinner’s team have offered up deafening silence after the world No 1 underwent a scan on his injured elbow, with a decision on whether he will continue his Wimbledon campaign expected early on Wednesday morning.

Sinner’s decision to cancel his practice session at 4pm on Tuesday fuelled rumours that he may be about to pull out of Wimbledon, after he damaged his elbow in a tense fourth round clash against Grigor Dimitrov on Monday night.is opponent, there are also doubts over whether the albow problem was affecting him.

The Italian was close to crashing out of the tournament as Dimitrov moved into a commanding two-set lead and he was holding firm at 2-2 in the third set before he injured his pectoral muscle and was forced to retire amid emotional scenes.

Initially, sympathy was all with Dimitrov after his injury forced him to retire from a fifth successive Grand Slam tournament, but now that concern has moved to Sinner.

The Australian Open and US Open champion fell awkwardly in the opening set of the match against Dimitrov and quickly indicated that he had done some damage to his elbow.

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It appeared Sinner’s damage was minimal as he quickly suggested he was not injured when Dimitrov checked on his health.

Yet Sinner appeared to be struggling to control his shots for much of the match against Dimitrov and while that was certainly due, in part, to the thrilling performance of his opponent, there were also doubts over the condition of the player who is favoured to reach Sunday’s final.

“It happened very early in the match, first game. It was quite an unfortunate fall,” said Sinner of his injury.

“Checked the videos a little bit, and it didn’t seem tough one, but I still felt it quite a lot, especially serve and forehand. I could feel it. So let’s see. Tomorrow we are going to check to see how it is, and then we see.

“We actually thought he’d hurt his wrist at the start,” Cahill said. “But he did bang the elbow on the ground and he felt his elbow throughout the entire match. And it was pretty sore afterwards.

“He lost about six or seven miles per hour on average speed off the forehand, and off the serve as well, but I don’t want to take anything away from Grigor because he played an amazing match for a couple of sets and even had a couple of chances in the third. What happened to him was a travesty.”

Sinner headed into Wimbledon without his own physio after the exit of trainer Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio from his team, but he is confident the ATP Tour staff working at the All England Club will help him to get fit for the rest of the tournament.

“Yeah, here they have good ATP physios, in any case. The doctor’s good,” he said. “As I said, tomorrow we are going to check with MRI to see if there’s something serious, and then we try to adjust it.”

There was some positive news from the Sinner camp late on Tuesday night as his coach confirmed he had taken to the indoor practice court at Wimbledon for a brief session as he awaits the results of the MRI scan.

“No news on the MRI just yet,” said Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill on ESPN. “He had it earlier today and he can’t take a day off, so he wanted to touch the ball. So Simone and myself just fed him a few balls out of the basket.

“It’s not a bad thing sometimes (to practise on hard court). The more you play on grass with the uneven bounces, the more your timing goes off. (Andre) Agassi used to do it all the time… We’ve done that for a couple of years, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary.”

Sinner’s blockbuster quarter-final against Ben Shelton on Wednesday would appear to be an ideal match to be played on Centre Court, but Wimbledon chiefs have scheduled it to take place on No.1 Court.

Novak Djokovic will play his quarter-final against Flavio Cabolli on the main showcourt at Wimbledon and that decision might have been made by All England Club officials who fear Sinner could pull-out and may leave a hole in their Centre Court schedule.

Sinner will not play until around 4pm on Wednesday, so he has most of the day to decide whether he is fit to play and he is likely to have a test on a practice court before he takes on Shelton.

The booming serves that will come in from the Americans will test Sinner’s elbow, yet the results of the MRI scan may now be crucial in deciding whether the Italian takes to the court as any serious damage may force him to pull out for fear of making the problem more serious.

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Iga Swiatek has been on the down low after stepping away from the grind of the WTA tour. Citing personal reasons and exhaustion for pulling out of the Korean Open and China Open, the Polish star will not be making an appearance for the rest of the Asian swing. She recently split from her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, as well after working with him since 2021, and is on the lookout for a new coach. It’s been a turbulent few weeks for the World No. 1. However, amid all the chaos, as the world received news of Rafael Nadal‘s retirement, she resurfaced to shed light on her idol’s career. “I think this is going to be a really special day for every tennis fan.”

On October 10, the king of clay announced that he would be hanging up his racquet at the end of the season. In a tear-jerking video message, he spoke about the trouble he’s faced over the last two years. And, Swiatek has a message she’d like to give to Rafa. With emotions running high, Iga recorded a video for Nadal, “I wanted just to speak about my appreciation and what your career meant to me because you were and still are the biggest inspiration that I ever had in tennis.”

At just 23 years of age, Iga Swiatek has already snagged four Grand Slam titles, an impressive feat that mirrors Nadal’s own accomplishments at the same age. The Pole revealed how Nadal has fueled her fire. “The reason why sometimes I got extra motivated, I kept pushing myself,” she shared passionately.

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Both players shine brightest on clay courts. While Nadal reigned supreme as the “King of Clay,” fans dubbed Swiatek the ‘Queen of Clay’ because of her prowess on clay as well, particularly at the French Open, where she has claimed victory four times (2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024).

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But it wasn’t just incredible skill that set Nadal apart, it’s his kind heart as well. Swiatek noted, “Thank you for being such an amazing person off the court as well because your humility is something that is not so often.” In a sport where egos can run rampant, Nadal is truly a diamond in the rough. As Iga added, “When you see other athletes succeeding, you’re the one that always stayed honest to himself and true to himself.”

As she wrapped up her emotional tribute, Iga wished Nadal all the best for his future endeavors. “I hope you can enjoy the other part of your life and hopefully maybe some other career, because the sky is the limit for you now,” she said with genuine warmth. The Pole further remarked, “And I hope you’re really gonna spend a lot of time now with all of our close ones and your family.”

Rafael Nadal leaves behind an indelible mark in the sport—not just as a player, but as a beacon of inspiration. And thanks to passionate fans like Iga Swiatek and comrades who have shared the court with him, his legacy will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of many.

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The tennis world gives its well-wishes to the legend

As news of Rafael Nadal’s impending retirement sent ripples through the tennis community, it struck his longtime rivals, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, particularly hard. Both took to social media to pay heartfelt tributes to Nadal, praising his “tenacity, dedication, and fighting spirit.”

Federer expressed his sentiments in the comments of Nadal’s Instagram post, writing, “What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honor!” He later shared a series of nostalgic photos chronicling their rivalry, from their first encounter in 2004 to their iconic matches at Wimbledon.

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Novak Djokovic, currently at the Shanghai Masters, shared a touching post on Instagram as well, about Nadal’s profound impact on his career. He described their rivalry as “the one that has impacted me the most as a player,” showcasing the deep respect among tennis’ Big Three. With Federer retired in 2022 and Nadal announcing his farewell at the end of this season, Djokovic is now the only active member of the Big 3, marking a significant transition in the sport’s history.

As fans and players come to terms with this moment, Nadal’s influence will resonate long after he plays his final match at the Davis Cup 2024 in Malaga. The anticipation surrounding this event underscores the legacy he leaves behind in tennis.

Novak Djokovic is enduring a difficult stretch in his career. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has not secured an ATP title since winning the Nitto ATP Finals in 2023. His recent performances have been marked by surprising early exits and below-par play, a trend echoed by World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

Reports suggest both tennis stars are grappling with personal challenges that may be impacting their form. Djokovic faced first-round eliminations at the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open, delaying his pursuit of a 100th ATP title. Meanwhile, Swiatek has struggled to capitalize on key tournament opportunities. She suffered a lopsided 6-1, 6-1 semifinal loss to Coco Gauff at the Madrid Open.

Journalist Benoit Maylin shed light on their situations, writing: “Before burying Djokovic and Swiatek after Novak’s strange behavior and Iga’s apparent nervousness, it should be noted that both are going through a complicated period,” he wrote.

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Maylin revealed that Djokovic is dealing with health issues among close friends, while Swiatek recently lost her grandfather. “Several of Djoko’s close friends have health problems, and Iga lost her grandfather just before the tournament,” Maylin reported. During the match between Swiatek and Gauff, the Polish star was seen in tears during a changeover, a moment that captured everyone’s attention.

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Swiatek’s team confirms the report

Journalist Michał Chojecki corroborated Swiatek’s personal loss through her communications manager, Daria Sulgostowska. “I asked Iga Swiatek’s team if the information given by this journalist about the death of Iga’s grandfather is true. Daria Sulgostowska confirms. Iga was at the funeral before the tournament,” Chojecki wrote.

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see also Serena Williams’ former coach claims Novak Djokovic is facing the same challenges she once did

What’s next for Djokovic and Swiatek?

The tennis season moves forward with the Italian Open. Djokovic has confirmed he will not participate, marking the first time in his career he has skipped the Rome event since his 2007 debut.

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Swiatek, on the other hand, is set to compete in the tournament, aiming to defend her title from last year, when she triumphed over Aryna Sabalenka in the final.