Rafael Nadal May Be Leaving IMG Management

Written by: Staff on 28th December 2012

Opening of the 100th tennis playground of the Richard Krajicek Foundation in Rotterdam

Rafael Nadal May Be Leaving IMG Management

epa03489494 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal attends the opening of the 100th tennis playground of the Richard Krajicek Foundation in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 28 November 2012. With the playgrounds the foundation of the former Dutch tennis player offers a place to play tennis for the underprivileged children in run-down suburbs. EPA/BAS CZERWINSKI |

Rafael Nadal is believed to be ready to follow the lead of his great rival Roger Federer and leave the IMG Worldwide management banner to become an independent with long-term agent Carlos Costa.

Just a few days ago IMG was celebrating the formal signing of world no.1 Novak Djokovic to add to the portfolio of high-ranking stars that also includes Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams at the company’s tennis headquarters in Cleveland.

But Nadal watched with interest as Federer’s trusted manager Tony Godsick left IMG after 19 years service when his contract expired in June. Federer’s agreement expired soon after and he followed suit after declining the offer of a new contract a month earlier.

In recent months IMG is believed to have been aware of Nadal’s plans to make a similar decision — setting up on his own with his father, Sebastián, and Carlos Costa, his manager, taking care of the 26 year-old’s business enterprises.

Indeed the impending loss of Nadal intensified IMG’s determination to nail down the Djokovic contract after months of speculation while the Serb’s agreement with Creative Artists Agency drew to a close.

Mike Dolan, the IMG chief executive, told Britain’s Financial Times before the Djokovic signing that the rise in the value of sports rights was inflating the size of deals that sport stars could attract, making it harder to hold on to the top names, such as Federer and, it appears, Nadal.

And there could be another chapter in this tale of financial merry-go-rounds with IMG continuing to pursue the remaining member of male tennis’ elite Big Four. Andy Murray’s agreement with Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment is soon up for renegotiation after three years.

IMG has tried several times to sign up the Scot and made a major pitch when Murray made it clear he intended to leave Patricio Apey’s Ace Group. However Lagardere Unlimited and even StarWing Sports Management, the new company set up by former IMG and Lagardere Unlimited man Lawrence Frankopan with Stanislas Wawrinka and Chris Evert on the books, are also interested.

©Daily tennis news wire

Topics: carlos costa, img worldwide, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, StarWing Sports Management, Tennis