What Is Next for Rafael Nadal?

Has Rafael Nadal's decision to withdraw from the Shanghai Masters added fuel to the speculation that he may not last long in the playing circuit?

Is his injury a kind of an omen? Indeed, will he ever fully recover to achieve the form which has seen him dominate Men's tennis?

Right now his decision comes as a setback and disappointment to him as well as his scores of fans scattered all around the world.  Truly the Masters Cup has lost some of its competitive sheen. I do not mean to be offensive to the rest of the players, but with due credit to the others, Rafa is Rafa!

If Federer and Nadal's games are to be compared irrespective of the fact that both play as differently as chalk and cheese, it would project into an even broader light how much Nadal has over-taxed his body.

Even in comparison to his next set of rivals like Murray and Djokovic, who are almost in the same age bracket, the level of strain on the body is grossly apart.

Although he has notched five Grand Slam victories to date, it is a well-established truth that Nadal has had to fight not only his opponents but also himself. In doing so, he has put his body into terrible disrepair.

Thus, with the lethal backlash of Federer waiting and the looming presence and the threat of Murray and Djokovic right behind him, will the stubborn Nadal scale new heights in the next season?

The new season is barely two months away and it is common knowledge that Rafa is not nearly as formidable in the Australian Open. With this recent injury, he appears to have hampered his chance of scoring a point there yet again.

But the test of fire lies not down under, but in a place where he has been unofficially betrothed. The clay court is where everyone will be expecting him to perform. Whether or not he will display the same power and stamina next season will be a main concern not only for him but for his fans.

The year will unfold in its own course, but right now, as his injury darkens every hope pinned on him, all that's left is to wait and watch and hope that the saying "every cloud has a silver lining" is true in this case.