Tennis: Nadal pulls out of French Open, set to end career in 2024

Rafael Nadal on Thursday withdrew from the French Open because his hip injury has not healed and said he expects 2024 to be his final year in professional tennis.

"It's not a decision I'm taking, it's a decision my body is taking," said the 36-year-old Spanish player, who has played at the claycourt major every year since 2005 and won it 14 times.

Nadal said he was taking a few months off, meaning he will also definitely miss Wimbledon and most likely the US Open, before starting to play again.

And he said next year would bring down the curtain on a career that has so far produced 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

"It's probably going to be my last year on the professional tour, I can't say this 100 percent because you never know what's going to happen," he told a news conference.

"The injury I suffered in Australia has not healed as we hoped.

"Roland Garros became impossible. I will not be there after many years, with everything that (tournament) means to me."

Nadal said he will not set a date for his return, but said the Davis Cup in November could be a potential target.

The former world number one has not played since the Australian Open in January where he picked up a hip injury in a shock second round loss to Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.

He was expected to recover inside six weeks, comfortably in time for the claycourt season and to launch an assault on a record-extending 15th title at Roland Garros.

However, with his 37th birthday little over two weeks away and having skipped Masters events in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, Nadal appears to be facing a final battle he cannot win.

After a career plagued by knee, wrist and foot injuries in particular, the alarm bells have been ringing ever louder over the last year.

Nadal's undefeated start to 2022, which saw him pick up a second Australian Open title, ended with a chest injury at Indian Wells.

"It feels like a needle all the time inside," he admitted.

He swept to a 14th French Open in June but only after revealing he had required daily pain-killing injections in his foot, a consequence of suffering from Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, a rare degenerative condition.

"I played with no feeling in the foot, with a pain-killing injection in the nerve. The foot was asleep, and that's why I was able to play," he said at the time in Paris.

He added that he would undergo a treatment which would involve burning the nerves in his foot to permanently dull the pain.

Weeks later, his dream of a third Wimbledon title ended in a semi-final withdrawal due to an abdominal strain.

- Dropping -

Nadal's lengthy absence this year has also seen him drop out of the world's top 10 for the first time in 18 years.

His record at the French Open is unlikely ever to be broken.

Since his 2005 championship winning debut, he has racked up 112 wins and only been defeated three times.

Two of those losses came against great rival Novak Djokovic in 2015 and 2021. The other was to Robin Soderling in 2009.

Djokovic, who shares the men's record of 22 Slams with Nadal, will start as French Open favourite this year alongside world number one Carlos Alcaraz who is desperate not to see his Spanish compatriot throw in the towel.

"Let's hope he continues to play for a long time and that we can enjoy his tennis," said Alcaraz, the 20-year-old heir apparent to Nadal's throne.

Agence France-Presse

Piolo Pascual told to keep mum on quitting

ABS-CBN contract artist Piolo Pascual said at a recent media gathering organized by E! News Asia that he had been “scolded by someone of authority” for publicly declaring that he wanted to quit show biz.

“I was advised to stop talking about retirement anymore. Eventually, I realized that I should be grateful for what I have. I am still offered different projects, which I should welcome,” said Piolo.

“I’m very candid in all my interviews. I guess that’s why I sometimes get in trouble. I don’t exactly plan what to say. This is because I’ve dealt with local writers for so long that they’ve already become my friends,” the actor explained. “I simply answer questions that I’m asked. At this point in my career, what else is there to keep hidden?”

Piolo said he was going through a tough time at work and was feeling drained when that eventful press interview took place. “Like most people, I was going through a certain phase in my life then. Being an actor can sometimes be overwhelming, but I should no longer say I’m tired of my profession,” he pointed out.

“I’m currently tackling a father role. Then there’s another film being developed for me and a concert.”

Piolo told the Inquirer that he wanted to be a better father to his son Iñigo, 17, whom he finally allowed to join show biz. “I’d like to spend more time with him. He wants me to stay with him in the United States, where he is based, but I want him here. I guess it’s just time management. We’re going to have to come up with a compromise.”

Asked whether it was tough being dad to a teenager, the 37-year-old replied: “I used to think it would be hard, but it’s not, actually. Not now, when we get to talk more. We are able to discuss serious subjects. I’m thankful that he is a good kid.”



30-minute feature

Piolo will be featured in a 30-minute TV special to be aired on E! on Sept. 28, 9 p.m. A story on Australian-Filipino actress and TV host Anne Curtis was aired on the same cable channel in 2013. A reality series featuring the Gutierrez family, “It Takes Gutz to be a Gutierrez” debuted in June and will have a new season starting October.

According to NBC Universal country manager Liza Latinazo, choosing a subject for these specials is “not easy.” She explained: “A lot of research goes into it; it’s a very thorough process. We’d like to think that the feature is an acknowledgment of the achievements of the celebrity’s life and career.”

Very reserved

Latinazo added: “Anne has the most number of followers on social media websites, and lives a very public life [but] Piolo is different. Although he’s been in the spotlight for almost two decades, he is very reserved. He is private, naturally quiet and shy. Because of this, there’s always a mystery about him. and so he continues to intrigue us.”

She said the feature on Piolo will delve “deeper into his life and try to elicit a better understanding of the man himself, and his relationship with his son.” A camera crew followed Piolo around for five days—to his home, workplace, even to the gym.

Intimate



“We developed a pretty good and intimate relationship with him,” Latinazo stressed. “We spoke with his closest friends, people who know him best. This is a tell-all, show-all and definitely a must-watch.”

Piolo said he didn’t remember much about his interview with E! “I said a mouthful. I don’t know what to expect. In the beginning, it felt like I was part of a reality show. After a while, I became less conscious of the cameras, and my actions became more spontaneous,” he recalled.

Actresses Toni Gonzaga, Iza Calzado and Maja Salvador, as well as some of Piolo’s closest relatives were interviewed about the actor.

Piolo saw the program as “a great opportunity to share my story with the [Asian] region.” He stressed, “They will see that Filipino artists are well-rounded. Here, actors can also perform, host TV shows, become producers of his or her own movies or TV programs, and even do business on the side.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Newsbites: Dio planned retirement call

Ronnie James Dio would have decided whether to retire yesterday had he not died of cancer in 2010, says bandmate Geezer Butler. Speaking on what would have been the singer’s 70th birthday, the bassist said: “Ronnie should have been celebrating and probably would have been if he’d had his health checked regularly. I once asked him if he’s ever thought about retiring. He said he would make that decision on his 70th birthday. That is why today is so poignant. I think I know what his decision would have been.”

The new Thin Lizzy album will not follow Phil Lynott’s last music footsteps, says guitarist Damon Johnson. He reports: “Towards the original end they made Thunder and Lightning. That album was so heavy – it seemed Phil wanted to go down a heavy metal route for a while. That’s not what the new album will be. There are some big, fat classic riffs. We all know it’s going to be under the microscope. We know there will be pundits who criticise it, but pundits aren’t necessarily fans.” Of frontman Ricky Warwick Johnson says: “The guy is a class songwriter, and that’s what Scott Gorham and Brian Downey needed to make another Thin Lizzy record.” [Gibson]

Troubled comedy actor Charlie Sheen made fun of Guns n’Roses frontman Axl Rose when he unveiled guitarist Slash’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday. Sheen said: “It’s quite fitting the Slash is getting a star on the very street Axl will one day be sleeping on. This star is going to be stepped on more than the coke we did in the eighties.” [Rolling Stone]

Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith is considering the release of an instrumental album he recorded a few years ago. Smith says: “It’s still in the can, as they say, but that was interesting. A lot of fun to do. I like so many different types of music. I’m probably going to do something with it in the future.” [BraveWords]

Green Day will launch two documentaries to coincide with their upcoming three-part album releases. The first movie covers the making of discs Uno, Dos and Tre, which appear in September, November and January respectively. The second film features the band’s early days. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong says: “It’s not going to be the sitting down, headshot of going, ‘We started out blah blah blah.’ We wanted to get into lifestyles of rock’n'roll, and letting the story tell itself rather than be revisionist.”

Serj Tankian doesn’t believe some of the anti-consumerist material on new solo album Harakiri was created on his iPad. “If you’re looking for irony you can find it anywhere,” he says. “Utilising an iPad to write a song is no different from using acoustic guitar or piano. As a songwriter you always want to change and progress. While I’m not endorsing the Apple corporation in any way, it is a useful tool. Consumerism is part of our life – there’s blind consumerism and then there’s consumer awareness. They are very different things.” [Noisecreep]

Stone Gossard’s attitude to Pearl Jam‘s live setlists has changed over the years. The guitarist explains: “When we started out I wold have been one of those people that thought, ‘Let’s just play the hits – why play anything other?’ But as you get more songs we work them in. It’s given us so much more room because the fans now expect something different each night. Even if you fuck something up, the fact that you’re trying songs you haven’t played before… it’s good to have that challenge.” [MusicRadar]

Radiohead paid tribute to tragic drum tech Scott Johnson, who died when the band’s stage collapsed in Canada last month. At the end of their concert in Nimes, the first since the accident which is still under investigation, they performed their track Reckoner as a third encore. Frontman Thom Yorke dedicated it to “our friend Scott” and a picture of Johnson was displayed on video screens.

Courtney Love‘s former assistant Jessica LaBrie has filed a lawsuit against the Hole singer in Los Angeles. The PA says Love tried to make her forge legal documents and hire a computer hacker, then withheld wages because she refused to “commit fraudulent, unlawful and unethical acts”. LaBrie says she had to quit after 13 months because she was not receiving her salary. [TMZ]

source: classicrockmagazine.com

God told me to retire—Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao said on Monday that he had been told by God in a dream to retire soon, potentially raising doubt over hopes of a fight with American Floyd Mayweather.

Pacquiao, regarded as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, told radio station DZMM in an interview also broadcast over the channel’s Teleradyo TV show, that he had decided to give up all his vices after the dream.

“I will not stay long in boxing because He said: ‘You have done enough. You have made yourself famous but this is harmful,’” said a serious-looking Pacquiao, who has won eight titles in as many weight divisions.

Pacquiao, 33, said he had the dream earlier this year but declined to reveal how many more fights he would contest before stepping down.

But when asked if his newfound religious fervor would hurt his boxing, Pacquiao replied: “I will do my work inside the ring.”

The boxer, who has translated his sports fame into huge riches, a show-biz career and election to congress, said he believed he had been chosen by God to use his fame to spread the Christian message.

“When I speak, a lot of people listen,” he said.

He said he would make a major announcement on a religious note later this month.

Pacquiao, who has a 54-3 win-loss record with two draws, stakes his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against undefeated American Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on June 9.

Mayweather and Pacquiao have never had a fight and boxing fans have long sought a matchup. The pair were in negotiations for a mega-fight to be held later this year but talks fell through.

Formerly a heavy gambler who was fond of late-night parties, Pacquiao announced in January that he had become a changed man after his religious vision.

source: http://sports.inquirer.net/38385/god-told-me-to-retire%E2%80%94pacquiao

Paul McCartney on family, his non-stop career

(Rolling Stone) -- Twenty years ago, when Paul McCartney turned 50, he remembers his then-manager pushing the idea of retirement.

"It's only right," he was told. "You really don't want to go beyond 50, it's going to get embarrassing." In June, McCartney will be 70 ("I'm never going to believe I'm 70, I don't care what you say," he says. "There's a little cell in my brain that's never going to believe that"), and he still has no plans to stop touring or recording.

"You get the argument 'Make way for the young kids,' " he says. "And you think, 'F*** that, let them make way for themselves. If they're better than me, they'll beat me.' Foo Fighters don't have a problem, they're good. They'll do their thing.

"If you're enjoying it, why do something else? And what would you do? Well, a good answer is 'Take more holidays,' which is definitely on the cards, but I don't seem to do that. I love what I do so much that I don't really want to stop. I'm just kind of casually keeping an eye on how I feel, and onstage, it feels like it's always felt. So for the time being, the band's hot, I'm really enjoying myself, still singing like I sang, not experiencing, touch wood, any sort of problems to speak of. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

It doesn't hurt that his touring schedule has been reduced to shorter, intense bursts in recent years, largely because of his shared-custody arrangement for his 8-year-old, Beatrice.

"We don't do the big sloggo tour, we don't do the big U2-Stones go-out-forever thing, and get a bit fed up with it," says McCartney, who's planning some dates for later this year. "What we do now is events and selective dates. Because of my custody situation, I can only do that. At first, we thought, 'Oh, God, is this going to be a problem?' and it's actually turned out to be some kind of a blessing."

He can see himself rocking well into his eighties.

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/15/showbiz/music/paul-mccartney-cover-rs/index.html