Rafa Nadal to make Roland Garros return 715 days later

This Monday evening, Rafa Nadal is expected to step on the Philippe-Chatrier center court at Roland Garros for the first time in 715 days. The Spanish tennis player and 14 times champion of the Parisian Grand Slam begins the final stretch of preparation ahead of the French tournament today. Nadal, who was reluctant to guarantee his presence at Roland Garros after the Rome Open will train at 5:00 p.m. (local time) this Monday in the main stadium of the Parisian complex with his coaching staff with the tournament itself set to commence on 26 May.

Nadal’s training session in Paris this Monday will mark his return to the court where he has achieved so much success almost two years later with one having to go back to 5 June, 2022, when he beat Casper Ruud in the final of that edition to win his 14th Roland Garros with the win his last time playing on the Parisian clay. The 2024 Roland Garros tournament is the Spaniard’s first Grand Slam since the 2023 Australian Open.

“I feel much more comfortable and happier today than one week and a half ago,” he said. “I was able to play two matches and played against a great player. I was not very far away, without a doubt. I feel if I’m able to keep practising days on the Tour, and my body allows me to spend hours on court and have practices the way that I need, I hope to be competitive. I hope and believe I can be competitive in a few weeks. That’s the way that I need to proceed today, and to give me a chance to be ready at least to compete at Roland-Garros”, Nadal claimed after his elimination in the second round of the Rome Masters 1,000 by Hubert Hurkacz.

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Rafa arrives at Roland Garros having played eight matches on the current clay court tour: two in Barcelona, four in Madrid and another two in Rome, with a balance of five wins and three losses. His realistic objective as things stand would be a place in the Round of 16. After the qualification rounds have been completed, we’ll learn who the man from Manocar will face at the first hurdle and what is set to be an emotional Roland Garros return for the 37-year-old.

715 days later Nadal is back on court at the iconic Parisian court.