Rafael Nadal’s illustrious 19-year career at the French Open is drawing to a close, with his chances of adding to his 14 titles greatly diminished. The 22-time Grand Slam champion won his first Roland Garros title in 2005 as a teenager.
Now, as he approaches his 38th birthday, he finds himself ranked 276 in the world, having played only 15 matches since January of last year due to a series of injuries, including a hip issue and a muscle tear. These setbacks have caused him to miss 12 Grand Slam tournaments over his career.
Unseeded this year, Nadal faces a tough opening round against world number four Alexander Zverev on Monday. Despite his challenges, Nadal remains determined. “I’m going to play the tournament thinking that I can give my all, 100 percent,” he stated after a second-round exit in Rome. “If 100 percent is not enough to win a match, I’ll accept that. But I don’t want to step onto court knowing that I have no chance. If there’s a 0.01 percent chance, I want to explore that and give it a go.”
Nadal’s French Open record is extraordinary, with 112 wins and just three losses, two of which were against his long-time rival Novak Djokovic. His popularity remains undiminished; at his first training session on Court Philippe Chatrier, around 6,000 fans turned up, many chanting his name.
Fellow Grand Slam winners Stan Wawrinka and Daniil Medvedev have been practicing with Nadal. Wawrinka remarked that Nadal was as “strong as ever,” while Medvedev admitted relief at not having to face him.
Zverev, who has only beaten Nadal once in six clay-court meetings, last faced him in Paris in 2022, where he retired due to a serious ankle injury. “In my mind, I’m going to play peak Rafa Nadal. That’s what I expect him to be. I expect him to be at his absolute best,” Zverev said, arriving in Paris fresh off a victory at the prestigious Rome Open.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, the defending champion and record 24-time Grand Slam title winner, is also facing challenges. His three titles in Paris put him in a distinguished group alongside Gustavo Kuerten, Mats Wilander, and Ivan Lendl.
However, Djokovic has not won a title this season, a drought not seen since 2018. A freak accident in Rome, where he was hit on the head by a falling water bottle, caused him nausea and dizziness. Seeking clay-court confidence, Djokovic accepted a late wild card for the Geneva tournament but lost in the semi-finals to 44th-ranked Czech Tomas Machac.
Djokovic begins his campaign on Tuesday against home wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Notably, the last eight French Open titles have been shared between Nadal and Djokovic, with 2009 being the last time a final did not feature at least one of them.
World number two Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open champion, is recovering from a hip injury that forced him to skip the Rome Open. The 22-year-old Italian, who faces American Chris Eubanks in his opener, reached the French Open quarter-finals on his debut in 2020, losing to Nadal in straight sets. “I’m not concerned anymore about my hip. The last tests we made, they were very positive. That’s why I’m here,” said Sinner, who has the incentive to potentially overtake Djokovic as world number one.
Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, also skipped Rome due to an arm injury. The world number three, who meets American lucky loser J.J. Wolf in his first round, had a promising semi-final against Djokovic last year before succumbing to body cramps.
As Nadal, Djokovic, and other top players navigate their challenges, the French Open promises an exciting and unpredictable tournament.
Reported By AFP.
