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Toni Nadal sees no reason why Rafael Nadal can’t win another French Open title this year, but he admits that the tennis great will only return to action if he is 100% fit.
22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal has endured another injury-ravaged season so far in 2023 as he has played only four matches with the last of those a second-round defeat at the Australian Open in mid-January.
He sustained a hip injury during his loss at Melbourne Park and it was initially anticipated that he would be out of action for up to eight weeks with early March set as a possible return date.
However, eight weeks have now turned into 13 weeks as he has been forced to skip the Indian Wells Open, Miami Open, Monte Carlo Masters and this week’s Barcelona Open.
With the French Open – which is always Nadal’s ultimate goal – starting in May 28, the 14-time Roland Garros champion is pressed for time.
He only has two tournaments remaining between now and then with the Madrid Open running from April 24 until May 7 and the Italian Open taking place from May 8-14.
Nadal’s former coach and uncle Toni gave an update on the 36-year-old’s fitness as he insisted the veteran will only return if he is 100% fit.
“I spoke with him on Saturday. And he will only come back if he is in good condition, 100%,” he said on RMC’s Bartoli Time.
“He knows that otherwise it will not be good for him. He played the Australian Open without being on top. I think he wants to feel very good.
“He would like to arrive at Roland Garros with confidence and a good physical condition. For now, we have to wait. But he still has the mind to try to win another time.”
Last year Nadal played only five matches in the build-up to the French Open, but he still went all the way in Paris to collect a record-extending 14th title.
Toni Nadal sees no reason why he can’t do the same this year despite the challenges from Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev.
He added: “I have said many times about Rafa that even if he does not arrive in very good conditions, when he enters the Philippe Chatrier Court, everything changes.
“He needs a few not-too-difficult matches to ramp up. I know Zverev, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Rune, Rublev are very strong. But with his mind, I also know that Rafa can win. I want to think the same this year.”
Source:Tennis 365