Rafael Nadal

On Monday, May 27, Rafael Nadal lost in the first round - the first round -  of the French Open in 3 straight sets to Alexander Zverev.

Do you understand how consequential that is?

Rafael Nadal has won the French Open 14 times - the most ever by any human being. Ever. He owns the fucking French Open.

His body is breaking down and it breaks my heart. He is 37 years old. He has won 22 Grand slam titles. He always plays like a madman - no effort is too much, no challenge cannot be overcome.

The human body is not built for that. The human body is built for boredom and compromise, built to submit.

Sit behind a desk for 45 years, retire, and lay down to die.

That is not Nadal. I hate it when my sports idols age beyond rebound - and I hate it when they don't know when to say goodbye.

Raffa withdrew from the semi-final at Wimbledon in 2022 because of an abdominal tear. He was the defending champion at the Australian Open in 2023, but lost in straight sets in the second round. He was dealing with a hip injury.

Rafael Nadal is a pirate. A unique, entertaining human being and a fierce competitor. I hate to see him breaking down.

He pushed himself hard to rehab and be able to compete in the French Open this year - but he lost in the first round. He tried so hard because the Open means so much to him.

All of the people who inspire me, who I look up to, are dying or flat out losing it. That's because I am 70 years old. Doesn't matter - it hurts.

Athletes, musicians, authors, actors - these are the people who make me who I am. And they are all fading away.

What makes it harder is that they are all in the public eye - I have to watch the deterioration. Paralleling my own.

There are younger tennis players that I dig - including Zverev - enough of them to keep my passion burning. But Raffa is in his own orbit - above and beyond, a joy to watch as a tennis player and as a human being.

His retirement from the game is imminent. And justifed.

Still, my heart aches for him.