TENNIS
Will Rafa Nadal play the French Open? Spanish tennis star calls press conference to make announcement
The Spaniard, 14-time champion in Paris, will speak this Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at the Rafa Nadal Academy to announce his decision on whether or not to go to Roland Garros.
Tennis titan Rafa Nadal has scheduled a press conference for this Thursday, May 18, at 4:00 p.m. (10 a.m. ET) at his prestigious Manacor Tennis Academy. The purpose of the conference is to confirm whether he will be participating in this year’s French Open, which starts on Sunday, May 28. Nadal has won at Roland Garros 14 times.
Nadal struggling with injury
The Spanish sensation, due to celebrate his 37th birthday on June 3, has been struggling with an injury in his left leg, which led to his reluctant exit from the Australian Open. Though his reappearance was eagerly awaited for the clay season, Nadal has subsequently had to withdraw from Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome. According to sources at Relevo, Nadal has reportedly decided to forgo Roland Garros—a competition he has been a steadfast participant of since his inaugural victory in 2005.
Nadal expected to be out for six to eight weeks
Nadal, who celebrated two Grand Slam victories last year in Melbourne and Paris, suffered the debilitating injury on January 18 during the second round of the Australian tournament. The initial prediction indicated a hiatus of between six and eight weeks.
Just days prior to the Mutua Madrid Open, the resilient Spaniard chose to experiment with an alternative treatment, expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation: “The reality is that the situation is not what we would have anticipated. We have adhered to all medical directives, but the recovery process hasn’t unfolded as initially promised, putting us in a challenging situation.”
Nadal could drop out of top 100
Despite the setbacks, Nadal has maintained a rigorous training schedule, practicing with fellow tennis players like Diego Schwartzman, maintaining his hope for a comeback at Roland Garros. Currently ranked 14th globally, Nadal risks losing 2,000 points if he is unable to participate, which would see him drop out of the top-100 — a circumstance unprecedented in his stellar career.