Whether Nadal will play in this year’s clay-court Grand Slam is still up in the air; earlier this week, he acknowledged that his recent round of injuries has left him feeling less than competitive.
“I won’t play if I get to Paris feeling like I do right now,” he said. “If I’m feeling competitive, I’ll play Roland Garros.” When I’m able to, I play. I cannot play if I am unable to. Neither the planet nor my career will end as a result. I still have aspirations for the Olympics and Roland Garros.
That claim, though, was made prior to his victory in his first match at the Madrid Open on Thursday, where the 14-time Grand Slam champion defeated wildcard Darwin Blanch 6-1, 6-0, to begin his campaign.
Before Roland Garros begins on May 26, he will put his fitness to the test at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open.
Nadal appears to be playing in his final French Open after missing the 2023 competition due to a hip flexor injury. Mauresmo has all but confirmed that Nadal will not be seeded in the competition.
After a protracted layoff, the Spaniard is currently ranked No. 512 in the ATP Rankings. Although there have been hints that Roland Garros organizers may alter their seeding policy and award Nadal a special seeding because of his stature, that will not happen.
It’s not a topic right now, she stated. Wimbledon used it for a very, very long time, and although there were undoubtedly certain benefits, we also witnessed all the drawbacks. It’s not on the table right now.
In the opening round, Nadal might face any of the top players, including two-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz, world No. 2 Jannik Sinner, and reigning champion Novak Djokovic.
Former world No. 1 Mauresmo added, “We’re keeping our fingers crossed for him above all, for us too obviously,” in response to the question of whether or not there will be a dramatic departure for Nadal. We’re closely monitoring his progress on the court. We communicate with his group. It is entirely up to him whether or not there is a tribute. We will do as he requests.
