Rafael Nadal assured that he faces his participation in Roland Garros with the necessary motivation to face the tournament, while ensuring that “although there are options” he cannot “ensure that it will be the last.”
The fourteen-time winner of the tournament assured that for the first time he has been able to train without feeling discomfort, which makes him hope to be competitive starting next Monday, when in the first round he crosses his racket with that of Alexander Zverev, world number 4 .
But he acknowledged that he has only been in that good condition for a short time, which deprives him of references to know if it will be enough to compete with the recent winner of Rome: “How do I get there? I don’t know. A week and a half ago I made a disaster in Rome. The rest is speculation. Internally I feel better, in every way, physically too, but one of the worst draws possible,” he acknowledged.
“I have a small hope of playing well,” said the Spaniard, who attributed it to physical work, which has also influenced his motivation.
“My feelings tell me that I am not that far away. I am not a person who usually deceives myself, I am critical of myself, I am not perfect, I need to improve. These days I have been competitive with good, important people. But we are very close, little has happened time, this is the first week that I feel free to be able to play thinking about the ball and little else (…) I can play against anyone and I don’t feel worse than the others, that gives me hope”, added the Spaniard, who has trained these days with Daniil Medvedev, Hoger Rune, Stan Wawrinka, Sebastian Korda and Mariano Navone.
“But that’s in training,” he warned, before pointing out that he hasn’t faced a rival of Zverev’s stature in competition for a long time. His plan, he said, was to have the current level a month and a half ago, to face the clay tour from Monte-Carlo in better conditions, but his physique did not allow it, which makes him lack filming.
He acknowledged that these last two years have not been easy, that the recovery has been hard and that, at times, it affected his morale, which made him think that he would not be able to return to the courts. But things have changed now, physical problems no longer limit him and, although he has physical doubts, he feels capable of reaching a high level.
A positive perspective that also leads him not to close the door on continuing on the circuit for another year and that this will not be his last Roland Garros. “I don’t want a tribute on the field. If I lose, it will be natural with the public. But I don’t want to close the door for the future, it’s not necessary. If I don’t come back to play, I’ll come back here next year for whatever needs to be done.” “, he pointed.
“I enjoy tennis, I come with my family, I make them enjoy it. I have not been able to study in depth if I will be able to play in good health conditions. Give me a little time, maybe in a month and a half I will say that I cannot continue, now “I can’t say for sure, but there are options,” he said.
“I don’t want to be left with the feeling of trying for only a week, I don’t want to be left with doubt,” he added.
