Tennis: Rafael Nadal Continues To Be Iconic For The Youth Despite Barcelona Open Cancellation

COVID-19 has affected the entire world with the harsh impact it has brought to society. From forcing people into quarantine to canceling major sporting events, the times today have been bizarre and unsettling. Milestones were set to be made in the sporting world but were harshly pushed back as a precautionary means.

The National Basketball Association already has confirmed cases of athletes with the coronavirus. There are currently three athletes confirmed with the virus. Football also has confirmed cases from different clubs as the virus is rapidly spreading across the world.

Tennis has been affected greatly as the season is impacted by multiple tournaments canceling. The Indian Wells Masters was the first and followed by several others. One of these was the Barcelona Open. These tournaments would have been the perfect opportunity for World Number 2, Rafael Nadal, to bounce back and hopefully claim the top seed.

Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been back and forth as of late as they continue to be the dominant force in the sport. Djokovic has been undefeated in 2020 but Nadal has also built momentum leading to today – he recently won the Mexican Open before the world was declared under a global pandemic.

With the Barcelona Open called off, one of the high-ranking officials of the tournament spoke up on Nadal’s influence on the competition. Per Express, Jordi Cambra, president of Real Club Tennis Barcelona said that Nadal is an example and a great presence for the sport for years to come. He said that he is looking forward to welcoming back the Spaniard in 2021 and moving forward beyond that.

"The more years, the better. He is an example, an icon, a fantastic reference for youth,” he said.

"The attractiveness of the tournament goes beyond the economic prizes. It is an involved club from first to last, which makes the tournament very different from others,” he continued.

The coronavirus has infected hundreds of thousands and has claimed multiple lives. While it’s unfortunate that these events are being canceled, it’s only for the best interest of everyone.