Why Rafael Nadal should consider skipping the grass-court season

"There are tournaments that I can’t imagine missing on purpose, because [they are] tournaments that I love to play,” Rafael Nadal said this April. “I don’t see myself missing Wimbledon on purpose, or the US Open, or the Australian Open or Rome.”

As a teenager, Nadal said Wimbledon is the tournament he wanted to win the most. He’s won it twice, and despite having not gone beyond the fourth round of the grass-court Grand Slam since 2011, he’ll give everything he has to try and reclaim the title.

But while Wimbledon captures Nadal’s heart and mind, his body and his career will thank him for reconsidering his participation at not only the All England Club, but all grass events. With Nadal, now 32, it’s not a matter of if he will be injured again, but when.

Nadal is a workhorse that needs to play a lot to stay match-fit and confident. He should keep doing that on clay, where he’s been most successful, but not on grass, which puts a lot more pressure on his taxed knees.

WATCH—Nadal speaks about playing on grass:

Playing a full grass-court schedule could also hinder Nadal’s chances at defending his US Open title, and lessen his chances at winning his first ATP Finals. Last year, Nadal was so worn out by the fall that a knee injury forced him out of the Paris Masters and the year-end championships. It wasn’t the first time that’s happened.

It also wouldn’t be the first time judicious scheduling has paid off for an all-time great. Nadal should take a page from Roger Federer, who has skipped the clay-court season each of the past two years. It’s worked so well that Federer, once stuck on 17 Slams, has won three more over that span.

The length of the clay season meant Federer was able to rest for two whole months. But the five-week grass swing still demands plenty from players who want ample Wimbledon preparation. Nadal would need to play immediately after a presumably draining fortnight in Paris to get properly adjusted to the surface. It’s a testament to Nadal’s abilities that he’s won four titles on grass. Still, his last one came three years ago, at an ATP 250 in Stuttgart.

Nadal doesn’t even need to consider many ranking implications of missing the grass-court season—in 2018, he’s defending just 180 points in total.

The veteran’s body is struggling to withstand the rigors of a full season, which is nothing new. Skipping any big tournament is difficult for someone as passionate about tennis as Nadal, but it needs to be taken into consideration. And if not now, one day.

“When you get older, you need to adjust a little bit more the efforts and the calendar,” added Nadal. “But for me it is difficult to say I don’t play, for example, grass, or I don’t play hard.

“It is not in my plan, but I can’t say ‘never’ because I cannot predict what’s going to be in the future.”

A LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY DURING THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS EVENT IN SPORTS, CELEBRATING THE UNPARALLELED FEDERER-NADAL RIVALRY AND 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREATEST MATCH EVER PLAYED.

In association with All England Lawn & Tennis Club, Rock Paper Scissors Entertainment and Amblin Television.  Directed by Andrew Douglas.