By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday July 12, 2024
Wimbledon is in full flow this weekend, with the women’s final already set for Saturday and the men working through the semifinals as we write.
Meantime, the King of Clay is in Sweden, getting ready to ramp up his preparations for this year’s Paris Olympics.
Rafael Nadal is in Bastad, where he will play next week’s Nordea Open, with his wife and baby boy in tow.
🐂 Rafael Nadal has arrived in Bastad, with family, for his preparation tournament before Paris Games 🙌
(📷 @NordeaOpen) pic.twitter.com/1XYtZsPHw6
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) July 11, 2024
The Spaniard, who owns a 479-49 lifetime record on clay, last played in Paris, where he was defeated by Alexander Zverev in what could prove to be his final match at the tournament he has won a record 14 times.
But there is still hope that the 38-year-old will continue playing on tour, and if he can have success this summer on clay, he may elect to prolong his career into next season.
Nadal has been on the practice courts in Bastad for a few days now. He’ll be joined by Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud in the draw, which will be held over the weekend.
