Is the criticism of Nadal justified? The Spaniard will use a protected ranking in his comeback

The protected ranking makes it easier for long-term injured players to return to the ATP circuit. Rafael Nadal will also benefit from its advantages. What will this opportunity bring him? And why is its use associated with criticism from many tennis fans?

The benefits of a protected ranking

The function of the protected ranking is to allow players who have fallen down the rankings due to injury and are unable to enter higher level tournaments to return to the tennis circuit. However, in order to benefit from its advantages, the player in question must meet an important condition.

This is a minimum length of absence from tournaments. This is set at six months and the reason for the absence must be the health problems of the tennis player concerned. The Spanish tennis player easily meets this limit. He will return to the ATP circuit after almost one year.

Let’s add that a player’s average ranking during the first three weeks of his inactivity will be taken into account when using the protected ranking. Simply put, Nadal will have the power to participate in nine tournaments as if he still belonged to the elite rankings.

But even this type of tennis support is not all-powerful. Because the organizers cannot use the position of tennis players on the protected ranking to seed them, Nadal can face the very best opponents in the very first round of tournaments in Australia, including the opening grand slam of the season.

Criticism of Nadal from some fans

Disapproving comments from white sports fans on the X network speak, for example, that this advantage means that players who would not deserve to play in specific tennis events without Nadal’s advantage will not play.

Another frequent view is the argument that a tennis player of Nadal’s quality should secure a return to the top through sport. Simply start at lower tier tournaments and work his way back up on the courts.

According to others, again, the protected ranking is not for celebrities who merely want to enjoy a farewell to their careers. You’ll never please everyone.

In conclusion..

You may not be a fan of the Spanish tennis player, but you probably want to see him on the courts. Can his comeback be considered merely a swan song? Maybe, but you probably wouldn’t bet your paycheck on it.

And the fact that we will see Nadal at tennis events as an unseeded player will only add to the attractiveness of the opening rounds of tournaments. Even the best can open any event with a match against a twenty-two-time Grand Slam champion.

Source: ATP, X