Rafael Nadal is playing his second consecutive tournament without a break this week, and that hasn’t happened to him in two years. Five weeks before the start of Roland Garros, many see this as a good sign, and his uncle and former coach Tony jokingly explains:
– Of course, Rafa can win Roland Garros, but first we need to make sure that Alcaraz, Djokovic, Siner and the others are injured – laughed the older Nadal in an interview with Madrid’s “Ace”, and then became serious and added: – We all know that it is not played for almost a year. When he appeared on the court in Barcelona, it was about 700 days without playing on clay.
But the king of this pad never gives up.
– There is still a month until the start of Garos. If he manages to get his body where it needs to be physically, he will only need a few matches, but with the condition that the draw for the first few rounds in Paris is not difficult. At the Australian Open two years ago, I talked to him after two or three rounds and I thought he couldn’t beat anyone good. He was not moving well. But somehow he made it to the quarterfinals and everything changed. He won the title. Two years have passed since then, now everything is much more difficult. But I believe in him.
The former coach says the most important thing is not to get injured again.
– I hope they won’t have problems, that’s important. The adaptation process has started well, now it is important that he plays enough matches before the start of the Garos. The additional difficulty is that he will not be seeded, so he can play Alcaraz or Sinner or anyone else very dangerous early on, maybe as early as the first round.
His nephew lost quite easily in the second round in Barcelona to Alex de Minor 7:5, 6:1.
– I think he said after the first set, I won’t risk anything. I’m going slowly. What he must not allow himself now is any step back – Tony points out that Rafa must not complicate his situation in any way, even with the smallest possible injury that would cause him to waste time. – Alcaraz and Siner are in a terrible rhythm, it is very difficult defeat them. But a month until the beginning of the Garos is not a little, that’s why I believe that there are some chances. They are small, but they exist.
Toni is sure that Rafa is not planning to run the lap of honour.
– He does not go to Garros and Wimbledon to lose in the first round. It is not the first time that he has been in such situations. I remember in 2013, he couldn’t squat because his knee hurt. We went to Viña del Mar, it was a disaster, but then he won in Sao Paulo, and already in Acapulco he destroyed David Ferrer in the final and returned to number 1. Everything changes quickly in sports.
